In This Song
by Selema.C
Summary: It's different in this song. Jr yr. A clean slate - not for long. /Chap 8 The lowly members of Glee Club – otherwise known as 'Gleeks' – at a party at the Head Cheerleader's house? A surprise for the other McKinley students…\ And then it's all a blur…
1. Unexpected Surprises

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer:_ I don't Glee.  
_A/N:_ Special thanks to my awesome Beta **-qaby-

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**INTRODUCTION**

Here's what you missed on the last episode of Glee, but who would ever miss Glee, especially the season finale? Unless you were taken to jail or were kidnapped or something. But ah well, here we go. It was Regionals and New Directions performed great but before they had thought that they were going to lose because Coach Sylvester was going to be one of the judges so they all kind of gave up but Finn talked Rachel out of it and they kissed! Wow. Meanwhile Mr Schue is really upset and shouts at Figgins but they can't change anything so he goes to Ms Pillsbury for guidance - because she's the Guidance Counsellor – and in the end tells her he misses her but she confesses she's dating her dentist and he gets mad. Like, way mad. Then at Regionals tensions run high and only seconds before New Directions are to perform Finn tells Rachel he loves her. Wow again. Turns out Quinn's Mom was watching their performance and asks Quinn to come home when suddenly her water breaks. Talk about timing, huh? They rush to hospital and Quinn delivers a baby girl which Puck calls 'Beth'. Puck tells Quinn he loves her after she has the baby Beth who is then adopted by Shelby – Rachel's Mom! They're back for their results but Vocal Adrenaline win so now Glee Club is cut. So they're all really upset, even Ms Pillsbury and finally she and Mr Schue kiss and he tells her he loves her! But here's the real shocker, Sue blackmails Figgins to give them one more year! Yay! And then Mr Schue plays a freakishly small ukulele and tells them to enjoy their summer. So now they're gone to enjoy it. And that's what you missed on Glee!

…

**Unexpected Surprises**

It all starts the same way it began: with '_Don't Stop Believing' _playing in the background. This time William McKinley's Glee Club weren't singing it but instead, it's coming from a small radio in the black Toyota that's pulling into the high school's parking lot on the first day back to school. Even after the short balding man parks the car safely in an empty space he keeps the radio on for a second or two, a smile forming on his lips as he remembers his lovely only daughter Rachel, whom was sitting in the back-seat, sing that very same song at Regionals. Finally, he switches it off and turns his head back to the back seat where the petite brunette sits.

"Are you ready, sweetie?" he asks her kindly.

She meekly nods and leans in for her Daddy to give her a light kiss on her forehead then steps out of the car. She quickly fixes her short black skirt and smooths down any invisible creases then clutches her folders to her chest, gripping it with nervousness, and heads off into the school.

_It is perfectly natural for someone to be nervous on their first day back to school. Studies show that the reason being is that after such a long period away from education they have forgotten some of the basic things taught in school so they dread the lessons. Not me, Rachel Berry. I'm not supposed to be nervous over such a mediocre thing when I'm fearless standing in front of thousands singing. It's not like I can sing myself into school; I'm trying to _avoid_ slushies this year._

Everyone does a double-take as she enters the hallway. Some Cheerios look at her with surprise and others with anger.

_Cheerios never transpose to amicable people. _

She looks down at her choice of attire self-consciously.

_New Year, fresh start, new look?_

She had chosen something very familiar to her precious fashion choice. A small black skirt that showed off her tan legs, sky blue tank-top covered by a small black cardigan (that had already been in her wardrobe), and lastly the innocent little heeled shoes which she had picked out on a memorable odd day when she had been ridiculed by her height one too many times.

She had previously debated with herself whether or not to wear any of these items and stick to her old clothes, thinking she was changing too much too soon. She had quickly pushed that idea away and put on a pair of star earrings to remind herself she was the same ambitious girl as she had been in Sophomore year – and still destined to be a star.

She hugs her folder closer to her chest. Even though she had brought along a messenger bag, that now only held her pencil case and lunch, that was big enough to hold her folder she had wanted it to cover her face in case she would be hit by an upcoming slushie.

_The first day is always the worst: the Jocks made it their mission to slushie every over-achiever (geek or nerd sounded so foul-mouthed) in William McKinley to, as they said, "put them in place". _

On her first day as a Sophomore it had been Karofsky to slushie her. First day as a Freshman it had been the inventor of the coarse game of slushing: Noah Puckerman. That had been when everyone had started doing it. She briskly makes her way to her locker, the place in which she has continued to hide since Freshman year, and turns the dial.

_Rachel Berry, hiding? Absurd really, but not on a day like this. _

Slushies soon will be flying everywhere and it was more than possible she would make contact with the icy drink.

She looks at her reflection in her small mirror and gives herself an encouraging smile.

_You're Rachel Berry – you can do this!_

A large muscular hand is suddenly on her shoulder followed by the words, "Sup, juicy Berry?"

"I see your language is still crude even after the summer break," Rachel says dryly, closing her locker and swinging round to face the devil himself, Noah Puckerman. He still looks the same as he did last year; same smirk, still muscular (no, Rachel is _not_ staring), and still wearing plaid shirts. However, he no longer has the Mowhawk as it had been shaved off against his will so now his hair is very short in a buzz cut. "I understand you like to address your classmates by their last name but what has the term 'juicy' have anything to do with me?"

It takes him only a second to respond which was much faster than Finn had ever done as he was not very accustomed to her span of complex words. "I guess you haven't heard what everyone's calling you then," he says, grinning. He nods to the crowds of students who were huddled up in little groups whispering scandalously to each other, flickering their gaze to Rachel every once in a while. "Surprised what a change of clothes could do to your reputation?" he cocks an eyebrow at Rachel's awe. "So am I. But I just think you're wearing that to show off your fine body because you're on the rebound."

"Oh really?" Rachel says scornfully, glaring into Noah's hazel eyes.

_He knows about the break-up? Does this mean he and Finn are friends again?_

"Yep. After all, Finn and Quinn are getting pretty hot and heavy again."

Surprise fills Rachel. She had not known that Finn was finally back together with Quinn. How could she anyway? Rachel had been away for the past month and a half discovering Europe and its exciting sights with her Dads. They had taken away her cell phone and laptop, insisting she drift away for the summer to just relax and enjoy – meaning having no contact with any of her fellow Glee Clubbers.

"Shit, didn't you know?" Noah asks, shocked. "What, is Finn still your boyfriend?"

"No and no to both your questions," Rachel answers. "I did not know they were back together. Nevertheless, I am delighted that Finn has followed his heart after our break-up."

"He dumped you for _her_?" he says, appalled, jumping to the wrong conclusion.

"Again, no," Rachel answers impatiently and annoyed. She doesn't want the first person from Glee to talk to her to be Noah, and especially doesn't want him to be the first one she tells about that night. She sighs but decides to go on, otherwise Noah would continue to pester her. "I would like to say it was mutual, but in fact, I broke up with him. Don't interrupt if you want me to continue," she quickly adds when Noah opens his mouth to intervene. "As I was saying, I broke up with Finn. Not because he was cheating on me or anything similar to that, but because our intimate relationship was not going as well as we had thought."

She immediately thinks about that night in which she had expressed her thoughts to Finn.

_He was just dropping her off at her house after an awkward date to the movies. Luckily they had an excuse to be quiet in the cinema. When he takes her out to dinner or lunch they hardly have anything to talk about. She plucked up the courage to tell him things weren't going well. She lead him to the sofa, telling him, "We need to talk."_

_"You're not pregnant with Puck's baby, are you?" he asked fearfully. Rachel gave him a puzzled yet disapproving look. "Sorry, but you haven't talked the whole way home and when Quinn did that she told me later she was pregnant," he explained nervously._

_"Sit down, Finn," Rachel said simply, sitting down on the velvet red sofa. Finn copied her actions. "I honestly can't believe I am going to say this after trying so hard to gain your attention away from Quinn but…" she sighed, "I think you and I both know this intimate relationship is not working."_

_"I-I don't understand," Finn stuttered. _Well you never do,_ Rachel added in her head. "How is it not working? I mean, I love you."_

_"No Finn." She shook her head exasperatedly. "You love the idea of being with me - of us as the male lead and the female lead of McKinley High's Glee Club being together."_

_"Isn't that the same thing?"_

_"No, if you're in love with someone it's like you can't live without them. I thought I loved you ever since you joined Glee Club but that doesn't explain why I would have a relationship with Noah – albeit it didn't last one week but still – and then with Jesse when I specifically knew then that you wanted to start a relationship with me…"_

_"Are you saying you don't love me?" he asked, outraged._

_"I'm saying I love you as a friend whom I care deeply about and would be very upset if something disastrous ever occurred to you and…"_

_"And what?"_

_Rachel winced. This was the part she was going to hate saying, "I think you're not over Quinn."_

_Those seemed to be the words that horrified Finn the most. Not that she wasn't in love with him or wasn't to break up and just be friends, but the fact that that she thought he wasn't over Quinn. "I am not in love with Quinn!" She didn't need to have had seven years going to a therapist to know that that was the classic case of denial. _

_"I didn't say that, did I? I said you weren't over her," Rachel began to explain, but Finn wasn't listening. He started to storm angrily to the front door. "I hate to speak in clichés but please, Finn, listen to your heart." With that, he abruptly exited and Rachel jumped when he slammed the door, thankful her Dads were not home. _

_I guess he doesn't like clichés._

Rachel tells all of this to Puck who begrudgingly listens and doesn't intervene until she finishes her speech with, "and left the next day for Europe with no internet connection or access to my phone. Presumably, by what you say, Finn confronted Quinn and now they're together."

"And now what, you're happy for him?" Noah asks, and for a brief moment Rachel is thinking, '_Joy! He understands!'_, until he adds, "I don't believe that for a second, Berry. I think you're jealous and you came to school wearing get-up like that to get a new boyfriend."

"I'm appalled by your atrocious thought about me." She glowers at him and begins to walk away. Unfortunately, Noah follows her and even her brisk footsteps are no comparison to his tall legs and he catches up to her.

"C'mon Berry, don't be afraid to admit you want some of the Puckerone," Noah teases cockily (no pun intended). "You can't refuse me, baby."

Instead of going into a useless lecture she just rolls her eyes and mutters, "What ever you say."

"Fine," he says, suddenly getting angry, "later wannabe." He turns around to leave but is stopped when Rachel unexpectedly grabs his arm.

"Wait," she spits out icily. He could easily shake her hold off then carry on in the other direction but he gradually twists around to face her again. "What did you just call me?"

Puck perks up, strangely glad to see that his words affected her. "I called you a _wannabe._ You're obviously trying to be popular by changing your clothes. I thought you'd learned from the 'Run Joey Run' incident but apparently not."

"And I thought you learnt to keep your innuendos to yourself after what happened with Quinn but apparently not."

She didn't know what she was thinking.

She swiftly keeps on walking before he can catch up.

_Cold slushie, here I come._

…

"Mind if I sit here?" a soft voice asks and Rachel looks up from the notebook she had been scribbling furiously into after remembering some fabulous songs she hadn't yet added to her list of _Possible Songs to Sing in Glee_ to see the familiar blond-haired, emerald green-eyed Quinn Fabray staring intently at her.

"Umm - of course," Rachel says in amazement - no explanation needed, remembering Sophomore year. She clears her things that are spread out far along the table as she had not been expecting someone to want to sit next to her.

"Finn told me what you did," Quinn begins, answering Rachel's unspoken question as she sits down. "About what you said to him when you broke up. Why did you think he still liked me?"

"He was only mad at you because you kept the paternity of the baby -" Quinn winces at the word _baby_, obviously still hung up over having her own daughter and giving her away, "-a secret. Well, you slept with Noah but any self-respecting boy with an IQ higher than a sloth would know not to trust him alone with their girlfriend if their relationship was in trouble - but despite that, I could see that deep down, Finn still loved you. He didn't need closure, he needed you," Rachel explains. She had babbled on more than necessary but she had gotten her point through.

"And you just told him that? What about all those months you had been fighting to get him?" Quinn questions, pleased but curious all the same.

"You would think a prince and princess would make a perfect match, but sometimes they don't. In the same way the male lead and female lead of a glee club may seem like a perfect match but in the end, the only thing they have in common is a talent for singing."

Quinn gapes at her in surprise. "You really have changed Juicy Berry!"

Rachel cringes. "Is everyone going to start calling me that?"

"Would you prefer ManHands?" Quinn asks, raising an eyebrow.

"No no no," Rachel abruptly says. Quinn chuckles, and Rachel joins in. They are both aware that they're being watched with stunned eyes from the rest of their classmates.

Their grey-haired teacher, Mr Smith, finally enters. "Fabray! Berry! Be quiet!"

The two girls stop and turn back to face the board with a smile on both of their faces.

…

Quinn Fabray bids goodbye to Rachel and shuffles over to her locker to get one of her books out. Instead of pushing through the crowd, like she had had to do last year when she was kicked off the Cheerios, the students make space for her by immediately leaping out of her way.

This year everything had changed.

_All because of one scandal that summer. It was about Santana practically ripping Karofsky a new one after he had said that… that I was going to cheat on Puck with Finn because I always "had a thing for boyfriend's best friend"._ _San really did show him._

_You could say "that's what friends are for" but really, Santana and I are hardly friends. We're only teammates. Plus, the only reason she defended me was because the lovely but ignorant Brittany had tried to defend me first and Karofsky called her a "dumb blonde". Yes, she is blonde and dumb but you don't say that to her _face._ Brittany's also incredibly sensitive._

Now everyone looks at her differently. They cower away, scared that she would sic Santana on them.

_I used to have the same reaction when I had been on the Cheerios but… no, I won't join. I have everyone in Glee and they're my real friends._

"Hi," says a voice she loves to hear, followed by a peck on her cheek. Quinn looks up at the towering figure that is her boyfriend.

She and Puck had tried dating at first but it didn't work out well. Or, work out at all. She was still heartbroken about having had to give her baby away – though she didn't want to keep… _Beth_… she didn't want to give the baby girl away either, much less for her to be taken away to California immediately with the adoptive mother, Shelby Corcoran.

Puck had been acting moody too. He was even more distraught than she was because he immensely wanted to keep the baby. Even though he had dismissed the idea at the hospital when Quinn had told him she didn't want to keep the baby, every time she looked into his eyes she could tell he hated her for that.

There was only one way to get Puck's mind off of things. Sex. Like he had said time and time again when she had caught him flirting with someone, he's a _sex shark_.

So, they had broken up. And then after a few weeks, Rachel and Finn had broken up too.

Incontestably she and Finn had not gotten back together straight away. They had had to talk. A lot. There had been screaming match, with them debating who held most of the blame and who committed the most heinous act. Finn repeatedly said it was her as she had slept with his best friend but Quinn reminded him he cheated on her way before then by kissing Rachel… several times.

In the end, they had decided to put _everything_ behind them and start anew. Unluckily, because of their reconciliation, some things had changed – much to Quinn's disapproval and unhappiness.

Kurt is still head over heels passionately in love with Finn. Fortunately, he isn't acting like how Rachel had, prior in Sophomore year, trying to break she and Finn up; however, Kurt had taken it upon himself to avoid her and just endures her. If they ever bump into each other, they exchange a few meek words half-heartedly before continuing on their merry way. Furthermore, Kurt is closer to Mercedes than Quinn is – meaning she's been seeing Mercedes less and less often. They're just _acquaintances _now.

It doesn't matter that much as long as she has Finn by her side.

"Hi," Quinn greets brightly, reaching up higher on her tiptoes to give Finn a kiss straight on the lips.

"Hi," he repeats in a daze once they pull apart.

She giggles. "Hi." She closes her locker door and takes his hand in her own as they make their way through the hallway. "So how's your day been so far?"

"Boring. And sleepy. I think the teachers are as tired as us, which is weird 'cause they always act like robots – and robots don't get tired, y'know? How about you?"

"Er, same I guess." Quinn shrugs, smiling at his comment. "I had English with Rachel."

"Really? How is sh - I mean, uh, how was the lesson?"

"You can ask about her, you know," she informs him seriously. "I mean, the day after you guys broke up she left to go on holiday and you haven't heard from her since. I won't think you still like her. Or _do_ you still like her?" she adds, her voice half teasing and half unsure - really hoping that she'd have no reason to sound like the latter.

"As a _friend_," he assures her lightly, his voice growing more profound as he gives the situation more thought, "at least _I_ do, but I don't know about her. After everything that happened last year -"

"Forget about last year. It's all about this year." She grips his hand tighter and Finn winces. "And us. You're over Rachel, she's over you, and we're together again." Finn regains control over his hand again and once she lets go of it, starts massaging it gently, frowning as he checks to see if his digits suffered any damage from the death-grip Quinn had held them in. Oblivious to his pain, she continues, "and Rachel told me she had had fun seeing sights and blah blah blah."

"Good," Finn says distractedly.

Brittany bounces up to Quinn, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulder. "Hey Q!"  
Santana appears by her side and shoots Quinn a fake smile, successfully conveying the message of _I wish I wasn't here right now_. "Hi Quinn."

Brittany looks down at Quinn's attire: a simple short sleeveless white dress with pale jeans and ballet flats. "Why aren't you wearing your Cheerios uniform?"

"I'm not a Cheerio, Brittany."

"But can't you join again?"

"The truth is, I don't want to. I might turn into my old bitch-self again… and anyway, San's doing a better job as Head Cheerleader than I did," Quinn finishes, lightly eyeing the Latina.

"You know it!" Santana declares, grinning smugly at the compliment.

"I might be losing some credibility and getting slushie facials -"

"Like anyone would even try after what I did to Karofsky," Santana interrupts, snarling the hockey player's name – after all, he had upset the bubbly little Brittany.

"Thanks, San. You're a good friend," Quinn tells her, all the while knowing _she_ wasn't the reason Santana had stuck up for her. Santana smiles at her, sharing a guilty look with Finn over her head.

The bell went again, ringing irritatingly. "Bye Quinn, we have Spanish," Brittany informs her, surprising Quinn by knowing what her lessons were.

"Bye Q." Santana links pinkies with Brittany and they begin to walk away.

"Bye!" Quinn calls after them.

"Tell Mr Schue we said hi!" Finn shouts.

…

It's expected of course. Everyone with a low reputation who attends McKinley knows it's going to happen to them sooner or later that day.

It's slushie central in the lunch hall, much like a food fight going on in there, so Rachel avoids having a school meal that day. Instead, she rapidly walks to the Choir Room. Hardly anyone knows where it is so she's assured that it's safe territory. Slushie facials are given out in the hallways too, this being the reason Rachel is hurrying.

Going in the opposite direction, Tina passes by dressed in a black anorak with the hood covering all of her hair and zipped up tightly. Rachel noted that she's walking with Mercedes and Kurt, who are dressed in the same anoraks and she's quickly wheeling Artie. They give her a small smile and she smiles back, not daring to stop and talk.

Just by _barely_ looking to the right to smile at her fellow Glee Clubbers, she manages to bump straight into a student's back. He turns around to face her and Rachel is shocked to see it's Dave Karofsky. "Apologies, Dave," she quickly mumbles, stepping around him to move away when he places a broad hand on her shoulder. Rachel instantaneously tenses and her eyes flash to the Big Quench cup Dave holds in his other hand.

"In a rush, Berry?" he taunts. Suddenly, everyone seems to be staring. Behind, the Gleeks stop and turn, sickeningly eager to watch. Dave looks Rachel up and down and smirks. "I didn't believe them when they told me you had changed but _damn_, Berry." He notices her staring intently at the slushie and he laughs. "Don't worry Berry, I'm not going to slushie you… but only if you go on a date with me."

Everyone, including Rachel, is in awe.

Dave Karofsky had just asked Rachel Berry, resident loser of McKinley, on a _date_.

_He's threatening me with a slushie facial unless I go on a date with him?_

A giggle unexpectedly escapes her lips and Dave glares at her. "I apologize for my laughter but are you bullying me to date you, David?" she asks, still not quite able to wrap her head around the idea. "Do you do this with all girls?"

Much to her surprise, everyone in the hallway starts laughing. She's glad that someone finally laughed at her joke but there's a time and a place for making jokes. Standing in front of a burly athlete with a corn-syrup covered icy-drink in his hand doesn't fill that quota. Rachel quickly brings her folder to her face and is satisfied when the pink plastic successfully shields her skin and clothes from the drink.

"I can see why you're not on the football team, your aim is dreadful," she blurts out in a word-vomit. Everyone's jaw immediately drops to the floor in shock. Dave is turning red with rage and Rachel angrily reminds herself that the slushie machine is only down the hall.

She quickly takes advantage of the awkward silence and hurries to the nearest bathroom.

…

Mercedes and Kurt immediately follow. Well, who wouldn't do that if they knew Rachel Berry?

Rachel Berry is loud and abrasive and is never afraid to speak her mind. They're well aware of that fact. What they didn't know is that she isn't afraid to speak her mind to large beefy hockey players as well, much less ones who are holding a slushie in their hand.

"What," Kurt starts incredulously, "in the name of _Gucci_, were you _thinking?_"

Rachel is standing in front of the mirror, expecting her outfit to see if any of the electric blue slushie had landed on her clothes. She furrows her brow at Kurt and Mercedes' reflection in the mirror, as if she's unsure that they're really there. She turns, crossing her arms over her chest as she looks at them through narrowed eyes. "What in heaven's name is wrong with my clothes _now_?"

Mercedes looks at her in disbelief. Is that why she thinks they're there? Not the fact that she has just smack-talked the captain of the hockey team?

"Miss Thang, there is _nothing _wrong with your clothes. Sure, they're not my taste but they look good on you," she admits - albeit reluctantly.

"We are here to ask what was going through your mind when you virtually beat down Karofsky back in the hallway," Kurt tells her. "My, it seems your fashion choice isn't the only thing that's changed."

"To be honest, I wasn't thinking at all out there," Rachel answers. "The whole thing was just ridiculous. I mean, he threatened me with a slushie facial so I could go out with him!" She laughed, shaking her head as she replayed the entire scene in her head.

"Believe me, you weren't the only one freaked out. Everyone was looking at each other like it was just some hazy dream."

"I had to pinch myself to make sure I _wasn't _dreaming," Kurt adds. "What ever came over you?"

"Word-vomit," Rachel responds with an easy shrug. "So, other than that, how was you summer?"

Kurt and Mercedes each raised an eyebrow and glanced at each other at her cheery attempt to change the subject. Was Rachel not talking about herself for once, but asking about _them_?

They thought they'd never see the day.

"My holiday was lovely, thank you for asking." Kurt's the first one to break the short silence. "Not as eventful as yours of course, and I did not travel at all; unless you count a road trip to Boston with my Dad, Finn and his mother to watch a _baseball game_ traveling." He shivers as the memory of the horribly filthy seats runs through his mind once more and internally chants _Prada, Gucci, Dior, Prada, Gucci, Dior _in his head so he could retain his sanity.

"Same with mine, downright boring. Just hanging with Kurt, Artie and Tina."

"Speaking of which, where are those two?" Rachel inquires.

"Artie couldn't come into the girls' bathroom even though I, a male too, entered," Kurt answers. Rachel raises an eyebrow at him with a knowing look. "Yes, a lady-fabulous male, but albeit the same. Tina couldn't leave him alone; there's a safety in numbers."

"Yes, I have just realized that." She nods, looking poignant as ever while she looks over the fact that she basically has no friends sadly.

"Well, let's go," Kurt tells Mercedes, linking his arm through hers. They start to leave and Rachel frowns because she had been enjoying their conversation and company. The pair of divas stop at the door when they realize she's still standing by the sink.

"Aren't you coming, girl?" Mercedes says, impatience lacing her tone. "C'mon, like we said: there's safety in numbers."

The brunette grins widely and bounces over to them.

…

First Day lunchtime is always the worst. Nearly everyone is trying to shove their way into the dining hall to get their share of the school lunch. Will really didn't see why the lunch hadn't changed since he had gone to McKinley. It still tastes bland as ever and he keeps wondering if they're serving leftover meatloaf from the 1990's.

For some peace and quiet Will seeks refuge in the silent Choir Room that New Directions uses for practicing. _It won't be this quiet this afternoon,_ he thinks, peering around the room. The bulky trophy case that contains the accursed Sue Sylvester's Cheerios' trophy is still in the corner. It's the biggest trophy of all the prizes the Cheerios have ever won and he had been damned with keeping it in his Choir Room. He glowers at it in anger as though the loathsome Coach Sylvester was standing right there.

He gingerly sits down at the piano and his hands hover above the gleaming white keys as he thinks back through all the songs that had been played on that very piano only a few months ago. He rests his hands on the keys and begins to play a few light notes when the door opens.

He turns around to face red-headed Emma Pillsbury standing cautiously in the doorway. "Emma," he breathes out in shock.

He hasn't seen her for the whole of the summer. Not once. After their kiss she'd avoided him the rest of the days before school let out. Every time he'd walk past her office he never saw her, nor in the Teachers' Lounge. He had tried calling her multiple times on those days, then in the beginning of the summer, but halfway through the summer he gave up, knowing that she would never answer.

It's so heartbreaking. He's finally divorced from Terri and ready for a committed relationship. With Emma and only her. But now she has someone else, someone who was ready for a relationship when he wasn't.

"Hi," she greets him quietly.

"You never answered my calls," he says softly, looking into her big brown eyes that never fail to dazzle him. "Sorry... I was just… really busy…and I…." she trails off awkwardly, unsure of what to say that would lull the guilt she was feeling.

"With the dentist?" It was an accusation, not at all a question, and it pierced through Emma.

"Yes, with Carl."

"So what, you're just going to pretend it never happened?" He raises his voice in anger, standing up from the piano bench. "You're just going to ignore the fact that I'm in love with you? That I want to be with you?"

"I…" She has no idea what to say to this. She's thought about what to tell him the whole summer, knowing she would have to confront him in order to lead a peaceful life with Carl. She finds herself desperately wishing for the confidence she had sprouted up that day when she had told Will that some things were worth fighting for.

Will watches her as she struggles to find the right words to say. He doesn't enjoy watching her strain but doesn't regret telling her what's been troubling him for the past three months. It has been terrible for him. He had jumped every time the phone rang, hoping it was her. He replayed the moment of their kiss over and over again and wondered what would have happened if Rachel had not interrupted.

Would she have admitted to being in love with him also?

"Will." He looks up at her when she breaks the silence, and frowns when he sees the resignation etched on her features. "What happened between us, it's in the past. I'm with Carl now. I've heard all over the school students saying that last year no longer mattered; it was all about the present now. I... I think we should follow their optimism and do the same."

He inhales sharply and looks away, not bearing to make eye contact because he knows it's possible that he'd break down right there. So if that's the way she wants it… if she wants to live in total ignorance and be happy with this _Carl_… then so be it. However, deep in his heart he knows that Emma will never be entirely happy with the dentist like she could be with him.

"If that's what you want then… okay." He nods slowly, and her eyes widen in surprise slash disappointment. Had she wanted him to fight for her? "You know what they say, _'If you love something, set them free'_."

Emma nods too, again unsure of what to say. Instead of awkwardly trying to continue a conversation, she swiftly turns around and leaves the room, keeping her lips sealed shut so she wouldn't say what came to her mind once he repeated the famous saying.

_If it comes back to you, it's yours. _

Once she's back in her office, she opens the front drawer of her desk and takes the diamond ring out, gently sliding the band over her ring finger.

* * *

_A/N2:_ It would mean a lot if you added this to your alerts or reviewed but I know most people do not read stories with only one chapter.


	2. Twilight Zone

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Glee or any of the songs.  
_A/N: _Thanks for the help, **-qaby-**

_Song Key: _(**1st**) _Santana -_ **Rachel/Quinn **- _**All  
**_(**2nd**) _Rachel _- **Puck **- _**Both

* * *

**_

**Twilight Zone**

They file into the Choir Room at 3:30pm that first day of school chattering happily to everyone about their holidays and such, only to stop when they see Mr Schuester with his face in his hands sitting on one of the chairs. They exchange worried looks with each other, fearing that Figgins had done as he had promised and cut Glee Club.

Contradicting their fears, Mr Schue looks up to his students with a grin. "Welcome back New Directions!"

He laughs and the rest of them join in continuing to ask the teacher how he was and if he had enjoyed his holiday. Making his way to the front, he says, "All right, all right, settle down everyone." He calms everyone and they all scurry around to sit. "So," he can't help but grinning, "we're working our way to Sectionals. Now, just because you guys won last year doesn't mean you can slack off."

"But we kicked their butts last year!" Finn shouts out.

"Even after we had to come up with different songs!" Mercedes adds. Everyone expresses their agreement.

"You've forgotten that this year our Set List won't get leaked out." Mr Schue's eyes can't help but stray in Brittany's direction. "And I heard a rumour that we are going to be against different school glee clubs. Possibly Vocal Adrenaline."

They all hush down in melodramatic shock. Vocal Adrenaline was their worst found enemy. They had won Nationals for what seems like a million years. After winning Nationals again last year, even after their coach, Shelby Corcoran, resigned and moved away with her new adopted daughter and leaving Vocal Adrenaline searching for a new outstanding director, they now had won a million and one times.

"However, you have forgotten that their lead has graduated," a voice says. They all turn their attention away from Mr Schuester to Rachel who walks into the Choir Room. "Jesse St James has started the new school year at Julliard -"

"How do you know where he goes to school now?" Brittany inquires, confused.

"Isn't it obvious, she's a stalker so she just followed him there," Santana snickers.

"That's enough Santana," Mr Schuester tells her strictly.

"As I was saying, I know he goes to Julliard now because it's where that is where all aspiring stars go," she explains. "And while I was on holiday I ran into Jesse in France -"

"Does this story have a point?" Kurt interjects impatiently.

Rachel breathes a sigh of annoyance. "He gave me some dirt on Vocal Adrenaline."

They all perk up, even Mr Schuester, and proceed to listen intently to Rachel - for the first time ever they're interested in what she had to say.

"He was sorry for what he did and wanted to repay me. So, he told me that their new male lead is Ryan Green. It is traditional for the former lead to choose the next person to replace them." She gives her teammates a maniacal smirk. "Jesse admitted to me that Ryan is mediocre at singing and if he ever gets nervous, he can't tell the difference between right and left."

"So why did St Douche pick this Ryan kid?" Finn asks.

"His name is Jesse," Rachel corrects. "And… maybe he wants us to win Nationals this year; or maybe he wants to be able to tell reporters in his approaching future of fame and fortune that he was the essence of Vocal Adrenaline, so - naturally - the club met it's downfall due to his departure. I'm leaning toward the second option. That was the good news," she continues. "The bad news is that their new Coach is called Ms Monica. And she's… well, let's just say she's the Sue Sylvester of choreography."

Mercedes and Kurt theatrically gasp in terror. They were once on Sue Sylvester's Cheerio Squad (Kurt had had to resign to play in football once again) and knew of her strict training. If Vocal Adrenaline's Coach was anything like the blond-haired demon then they were _doomed_.

Tina clamps a hand over her mouth while Artie hides away in his wheelchair; Puck and Finn's eyes shoot up in horror; Matt and Mike shiver, both thinking about a Sue Sylvester doppelganger running around Lima; the two Cheerios and the ex-Cheerio gape at each other.

"So you see, we need to step up our game," Mr Schuester advises them, though he too was still shaken up about the news he had heard. "No slacking off."

"Plus, I think we should put more effort in our choreography," Rachel adds. "Ms Monica is apparently fantastic with creating dance steps, but very weak in spotting off-tune notes."

"Thank you for telling us this Rachel."

Rachel smiles then sits down in an empty seat next to Kurt. He tugs at her cardigan then whispers something to her and she cringes before nodding.

"So, we should get straight to business. Now, I don't want to hold auditions for newcomers yet because all of the students need to cool off from summer and get used to the early hours of school. So, here is your next challenge."

He starts walking to the whiteboard at the back of the room. Everyone groans at the mention of challenge. On the first day back, this isn't really what they want to be doing. In truth, most of them just want to talk to their friends and relax a little whilst jamming out on meaningless songs for the fun of it because soon, drama was going to sprout in glee - they were sure of it.

Babygate, anyone?

Their teacher writes one word: **BANDS**.

"Mr Schue." Brittany raises her hand as their teacher turns around. "That's not how you spell ballad."

They can't help but chuckle at Brittany's words. She had been away most of the summer on holiday with Santana and her family and it was good to have her back again, ignorance and all.

"No Brittany, I'm talking about music bands," Mr Schuester explains. "More specifically: rock, pop, heavy metal, alternative bands."

Tina smiles ear to ear thinking _Evanescence_; Artie, Puck and Finn all smile thinking of jamming out on their guitars/drums; Matt and Mike high-five; Quinn giggles at how enthusiastic her boyfriend is; all three divas: Kurt, Mercedes, and Rachel scowl at the idea.

Rachel raises her hand and says (without even being called on, so what was the point of even raising her hand?), "Mr Schue, I fail to see what this has anything remotely to do with what I said -"

"The truth is, it doesn't," Mr Schuester puts simply. Rachel is now livid. "This is your first Glee task and I want you to enjoy it, which I know most of you -" he raises an eyebrow at Kurt, Mercedes and Rachel, "- will. It must be those genres but you can have any pairing. Solo, in groups, duets, etc." The teacher raises his hands before his students can get too carried away with their latest task. "But, before you all get to planning, how about a run of 'Don't Stop Believin''?"

Never let it be said that Will Schuester didn't know his audience because sure enough, Kurt, Mercedes and Rachel quickly dropped their foul mood to perform.

…

There's this supposed 'Girl Code' signifying you cannot sleep with your best friend's ex-boyfriend. Every self-respecting girl knows that rule. Hell, even the lunatic Rachel Berry knows that and she didn't even have friends.

Albeit knowing, Santana had still broken the Code. She had had sex with Finn Hudson, the ex-boyfriend of the ex-Cheerio Quinn Fabray. In the new Head Cheerleader's defence, it had been compulsory to do it. If she hadn't, she would have been kicked off the Cheerleading Squad and that is her _life_. Without the Cheerios, her life would be incomplete.

So yes, she had slept with one of her best friends' ex-boyfriend but that was that. No romantic shit or whatever; Finn had only given in because he had felt betrayed by Rachel, who was thinking of having sex with Jesse St James at the time. Win-win for both of them.

What Santana had not been expecting was for Quinn and Finn to get back together. (Seriously, he forgave all her shitload of lying?) So now, she feels guilty. It's a strange feeling for her and she freely admits that she's never felt it before, even after slushying nerds, geeks, dorks, and not forgetting Rachel Berry.

She hates it. The feeling sucks and she feels it every time Quinn says something about her 'being a good friend' which is a load of bullshit because they were never really friends, nor will they ever be.

Santana tries to remind herself that Quinn had been the one who started it. After all, Puck had been her boyfriend (they had an on-again off-again relationship lasting two days every time at most - but when she dumped him because of his credit-score it was a real break up) and Quinn had still slept with him. But she couldn't hate Quinn. More than usual. So, all her resentment went straight to the badass bastard Puck.

The day of their second Glee Club practice, Santana and Brittany are walking down the hallway together, pinkies linked with smiles on their faces. They are the best of friends and nothing could ever tear them apart. Even halfway through the summer, when Santana had had to go with her family to Hawaii, she had brought Brittany along too. Tanning on the beach all day long with your best friend is awesome.

"This is your class," Santana says to Brittany, stopping at a classroom door. Brittany pouts at Santana, whom had to go to her Science class on the third floor. Being away for 45 minutes was bad for them too. Luckily they have their cell-phones that allow them to text all the time.

"Bye bitch," Santana says affectionately and kisses the blond on the cheek. Brittany smiles and then walks into her English classroom whilst Santana heads for the stairs.

"Sup Lopez."

She bites back a growl when she distinguishes the all-too familiar voice. "What do you want Puck?"

"You."

"Gag me." Santana scowls. "You slept with Quinn when she was dating Finn. Plus we were dating at the time too. Anyway, you're not supposed to sleep with my friends. I don't blame her - much - 'cos she's never had wine coolers in life. You on the other hand… I'm not going to be your booty-call."

"You weren't thinking that when me and… Mercedes," he finally remembers her name, "were dating last year. You even sang a song about it," he adds tauntingly, smug that Santana had been jealous when he had been dating… Wait, was her name again?

"That was last year, and I'm over you. Find someone else to be your booty-call, I don't care. Go back to your cougars."

…

"Okay guys," Mr Schuester enters the Choir Room later that day. The room is already full with the entire Club laughing and chatting enthusiastically with each other. He couldn't help but smile at the fact they were all getting along, especially after the drama that had threatened to tear them apart the previous year. "I know it's only been two days but is anyone ready to show us what they've got?"

Shockingly, Santana raises her hand. "I am, Mr Schue." Everyone stares at her in awe - except for Brittany whom was smiling evilly, knowing full well of Santana's plan.

"Okay Santana, whenever you're ready," the teacher encourages her. Santana gives a wink to Brittany then gets out of her seat to stand to perform. She had already informed the geeky guitar players, keyboardist and drummer what song she had chosen. She signals them to start playing, then smirks at Puck who sat right in the middle in the crowd of the Club.

_Superstar, where you from, how's it going?_  
_I know you, gotta clue whatcha doing_

There was no doubt in everyone's mind that she was singing to Puck who was sullen but also embarrassed, just like Santana had wished.

_You can play brand new to all the other chicks out here_

Santana looks over the Glee girls, her eyes resting on Rachel and Quinn especially.

_But I know what you are, what you are, baby_

_Look at you, getting more than just a re-up_  
_Baby you, got all the puppets with their strings up_  
_Faking like a good one, but I call 'em like I see 'em_  
_I know what you are, what you are, baby_

Santana pulls Quinn and Rachel from their seats to join in with the chorus.

_**Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you're a womanizer,**_  
_**Oh womanizer, oh you're a womanizer, baby**_  
**You **_you_** you**_** are, **_**you **_you_** you**_** are**_  
_**Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer **_**(womanizer)**

Mike, Matt, and Finn grin, trying to hold back laughter as they watch Puck's face turn sour; Mercedes and Kurt bop along to the beat and Tina giggles with Artie; Brittany smiles proudly at her friend because Santana was doing the dance moves she had shown her (Rachel and Quinn copying the moves effortlessly from years of ballet).

_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_  
_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_

_**(You)**_** You got me going**  
_**(You)**_** You're oh so charming**  
_**(You)**_** But I can't do it**  
_**(You)**_** You womanizer**

Quinn sings this with a grin spreading her lips apart, much to Puck's displeasure.

_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_  
_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_

_**(You)**_** You say I'm crazy**  
_**(You)**_** I got your crazy**  
_**(You) **_**You're nothing but a**  
_**(You) **_**Womanizer**

Rachel twirls whilst laughing at the words everyone used to describe her: crazy.

_Maybe if we both lived in a different world _**(womanizer, womanizer, womanizer, womanizer)**  
_Yeah_  
_It would be all good and maybe I could be your girl_  
_But I can't 'cause we don't, you_

_**Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you're a womanizer,**_  
_**Oh womanizer, oh you're a womanizer, baby**_  
**You **_you_** you**_** are, **_**you **_you_** you**_** are**_  
_**Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer **_**(womanizer)**

_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_  
_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_

_**(You)**_** You got me going**  
_**(You)**_** You're oh so charming**  
_**(You)**_** But I can't do it**  
_**(You)**_** You womanizer**

_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_  
_**Boy don't try to front**_  
_**I **_**(I)**_** know just **_**(just) **_**what you are-are-are**_

_**(You)**_** You say I'm crazy**  
_**(You)**_** I got your crazy**  
_**(You) **_**You're nothing but a**  
_**(You) **_**Womanizer**

_**Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you're a womanizer,**_  
_**Oh womanizer, oh you're a womanizer, **__baby _

When they finish the Club (minus Puck) give a round of applause. Santana swings an arm over Rachel and the other over Quinn and gives them both a victory squeeze and beams at them for doing an amazing performance. The two girls look flustered; Quinn smiles back at Santana sweetly and Rachel nods to her triumphantly. The three turn their attention to Puck, only to find that he was sitting there, glowering at them. The Cheerio's plan had succeeded; she doesn't think he'll be asking for a booty-call anytime soon.

"Okay, okay, everyone calm down," Mr Schuester tells them sternly, then looks at the Cheerio, "I'm sorry Santana, even though your performance was lovely, that wasn't under the genre we were aiming for."

Santana shrugs and innocently says, "Oops. Sorry teach."

…

They all file back out of the Choir Room after Glee Club practice and Rachel hurriedly catches up with Brittany, Santana and Quinn whom were all walking together with the Head Cheerleader in the middle.

"I don't understand why you got me to sing with you," Rachel says to Santana, bewildered. "You could have easily brought Brittany in to sing with you, she has obviously been with Noah as well."

"Yeah, but that wouldn't fit right," Santana says, nonchalantly. "She's been with, like, everyone. And they never meant a thing, apart from me," she adds flicking her shiny black hair back. "You, me and Quinn were the only ones in a real relationship with the jerk-bag. You know, not just kissing but we actually talked sometimes. Plus he actually liked us more than the sluts in this school."

"You must be mistaken, Noah never liked me," Rachel tells them.

"He liked you enough to choose Glee over football," Quinn says. "That means something."

Rachel stops to frown in thought while the three girls walk away. Quinn and Santana were right. Noah, bizarrely as it seems, had chosen the low-life of being in Glee over the high-reputation of being a Jock for her.

_Had Noah actually liked me?_

…

Instead of going home like everyone else, Rachel heads to the IT room to print off the lyrics of a song she has in mind for their Glee assignment. It would be a lie to say she doesn't want to do the task but she's supposed to set an example as the female lead and as a team player. She phones her Daddy up to tell him to pick her up a little later before going back to the Choir Room.

She could just practice the song at home but something about just being in the room - the same room where they had rehearsed until their feet were sore - is bizarrely comforting. Normally she wouldn't have songs under the genre but this song was an exception. She hooks her iPod to the speakers and she's about to play the song and start singing when she hears the door open.

"Hey." Rachel jumps and turns to see Noah standing at the door, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Noah? What are you doing here?"

"I just, uh, wanted to say sorry," he explains. "You know, for calling you a wannabe."

"Well… this is much unexpected," she says surprised.

_Noah Puckerman is apologizing? Have I entered the Twilight Zone? _

"I accept your apology," she continues, "but you needn't to do that because you were right. I should want to be liked for being my big-mouthed bubbly brainy ambitious self."

"Good, 'cos I like crazy-ass Berry, not quiet-ass Berry," he smirks.

"Thank you. And please forgive me for what I said about Quinn… I wasn't thinking, I -"

Puck puts his hand up, motioning for her to stop. "Don't sweat it. I should learn to keep it in my pants once in a while."

Rachel rolls her eyes. "But also, I'm sorry for singing with Santana. It must have been mortifying for you."

Puck grins, "Not really, I just loved seeing your skirt twirl. It's a whole lot better than the Cheerio skirts, you know."

She turns red with dire embarrassment. "As long as you are here, you can help me with this song." Rachel changes the subject, eager to get away from the subject of her skirts which, _apparently_, were 'a whole lot better than the Cheerio skirts'.

It was a demand rather than a request. "Fine Berry, but you owe me," he grumbles and walks over to her.

"I have chosen this song," she hands him the only copy she has of the lyrics.

"Damn Berry, I had no idea you even knew this band or this song."

"So you have the lyrics memorized?" Before he can even speak Rachel presses play and the music blares from the speakers and she begins to sing.

_Summer has come and passed_  
_The innocent can never last_  
_wake me up when September ends_

**like my father's come to pass**  
**seven years has gone so fast**  
**wake me up when September ends**

It's "Wake Me Up When September" by Green Day, a surprising choice for Rachel to make but she thinks it is appropriate as they just started a new school year. What is more surprising for Rachel is Noah actually began singing along too. Rachel beams with joy as she sings with him, noting that their voices make perfect harmony together.

_here comes the rain again_  
_falling from the stars_  
**drenched in my pain again**  
**becoming who we are**

Puck can't resist the chuckle that escapes his lips when Rachel begins doing some ballet steps around the room. She sees his bemused look and for a moment he thinks she's going to get huffed up and stop but instead she rolls her eyes and pulls him with her to dance.

_**ring out the bells again**_  
_**like we did when spring began**_  
_**wake me up when September ends**_

_here comes the rain again_  
_falling from the stars_  
**drenched in my pain again**  
**becoming who we are**

_**as my memory rests**_  
_**but never forgets what I lost**_  
_**wake me up when September ends**_

_**Summer has come and passed**_  
_**The innocent can never last**_  
_**wake me up when September ends**_

_**like my father's come to pass**_  
_**twenty years has gone so fast**_  
_**wake me up when September ends**_  
_**wake me up when September ends**_  
_**wake me up when September ends …**_

They finally finish, unexpectedly with their foreheads resting against each other with no recognition on how they got to that position.

Puck knows that if he leans down a little lower he would meet her soft lips. He also knows that Rachel is extremely aware of this but she does not move.

_Only an inch further_...

Puck leans in and Rachel's eyes flutter closed but suddenly snap back open and she jumps when she hears clapping.

It was from Mr Schuester who was just entering the room after hearing the end of their brilliant performance. Puck mentally curses to himself, swearing revenge on that damn teacher.

"That was amazing guys!" Mr Schue tells them. "I'm glad to see you put effort into the assignment. Especially you, Rachel. Plus, you two should do duets more often, because you make a _great_ pair."

They both know he means it in a musical sense but they both blush and avoid eye contact.

* * *

_A/N: _Fingers crossed for some early updates next time ;)  
This chapter is quite short minus the lyrics of the songs ("Womanizer" by _Britney Spears_ and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by _Green Day_)  
Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are awesome. And also thanks to the people who added the story to their alerts and even favourited


	3. Moving On

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Glee or any of the songs mentioned/sung  
_A/N:_ All mistakes are mine

_Song Key:_ (**3rd**) **Puck **- _Backing Vocals

* * *

_

**Moving On**

The next morning Mercedes, Kurt and Tina pounce on Rachel whilst she was collecting books from her locker. (Artie wheels in after the three, unable to pounce.)

"Hello," Rachel smiles at them brightly. "What can I do for you today, my friends?" she asks, grinning even more as the magical alien words _friends_ that left a sweet sugary taste in her mouth.

"You could explain the lovely duet you sang with Puck yesterday after we all left," Kurt says to her. "And where you got that jacket," he adds.

"To your second request, the jacket is _Chloé_," she answers. "To your first request, you saw that?" she asks bewildered.

"Not up front but Jacob Ben Israel happened to be sneaking around and recorded it," Artie explains.

"I am so close to getting a restraining order for him!" Rachel huffs, annoyed. "Hasn't he put it on his blog?"

"No, he traded it for fashion advice," Kurt tells her. "Most specifically, tips on fashion to attract you."

"Do you really think I'm that superficial to suddenly be attracted to him and forget all his qualms?"

"No way in hell did we think that." Mercedes shakes her head. "Anyway, there was nothing to do to help that boy. So we just told him to wear-"

"Plaid," Tina finishes in awe. She points to across the hallway so they turn their heads to where she was staring and then gasp melodramatically.

Jacob has taken their advice a little too far. He had decided to wear to school a pair of red, blue and black plaid slacks with a matching blazer and black shirt underneath.

_That outfit needs to be burnt. Straight away._

"Hide me!" Rachel urgently whispers to them whilst Jacob struts down the hallway mistaking the shocked gazes of the students for admiration. Rachel ducks behind Artie's wheelchair so her front is unseen and the other three crowd around her so she is safely hidden.

"Hey guys, have you seen my sweet Rachel?" Jacob asks, approaching them. Rachel holds her breathe in anticipation.

"Sorry, no," Kurt says, grimacing at Jacob's outfit.

Jacob's face falls. "Oh. Well, if you see her then tell her that the new improved Jacob Ben Israel is looking for her."

"Will do," Artie nods.

Rachel tugs at Tina's sleeve in impatience. "You better get going now, Jacob. The Twilighters accidentally mistook me as one of their own and let it slip that they're planning something for you today… involving baseball bats and crow bars."

Jacob's eyes widen with trepidation and he gapes. Suddenly, without another word, he swiftly turns and sprints away maladroitly crashing into many confronted students.

"I wish I had been lying when I told him that," Tina mutters. The other four raise an eyebrow at her in awe.

…

Quinn, Brittany and Santana sit in the cafeteria together. The two blondes listen intently to Santana who was still describing the incident in hallway involving her and Puck.

"…So I'm like, I'm over you, Puckerman. Find someone else to be your booty-call, I don't care!" Santana finishes laughing. "I still remember his face after I sang!" she wipes a tear of laughter from her eye.

Brittany giggles too and Quinn quickly fakes a smile so they both do not realize what was going in her head.

_He's going to move on. He's going to move on like I did._

She doesn't know what she's doing, but in her free period she finds herself standing on the large empty stage - the same one they had practiced 'Don't Stop Believing' a hundred times the year before. There's a stereo backstage in the corner and she slips in the CD then starts to sing.

_I'm gonna make it bend and break_  
_Say a prayer, but let the good times roll_

She scoffs, musing over the name of the song she had sung when she auditioned for Glee Club. Things had been easier for her back then, but not fun. At least now she was being true to herself.

_In case God doesn't show..._

Of course He didn't show, otherwise she wouldn't have had to go through 9 months of suffering, not to mention being kicked out of her own house and having to live with Puck. At least He had taken pity on her in the end and she was back living at home.

_And I want these words to make things right_  
_But it's the wrongs that make the words come to life,_  
_Who does he think he is?_  
_If that's the worst you got_  
_Better put your fingers back to the keys_

She knows she had ridiculed Rachel Berry many times for her need to sing in troubling times but now she understands that singing about tough moments help.

_One night and one more time_  
_Thanks for the memories_  
_Even though they weren't so great;_  
_He tastes like you, only sweeter!_

That was more than true. Sure, she had loved (and still does?) Puck a little, but wasn't _in_ love with him like she had been with Finn. Finn, her current boyfriend, is what she wants now. But still, Puck and she had had a baby…

_One night, yeah, and one more time_  
_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories;_  
_See, he tastes like you only sweeter!_  
_Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh_

_They say_  
_I only think in the form of crunching numbers_  
_In hotel rooms collecting page-six lovers_  
_Get me out of my mind_  
_And get you out of those clothes_  
_I'm a liner away_  
_From getting you into the mood_  
_Whoa_

Outside in the hallway, Finn is walking with his hands shoved down his pockets to the bathroom. He hears faint music coming from Auditorium and someone singing to it. Assuming it was someone from Glee rehearsing their song; he opens the door and peeks through - unseen by the singer. He is shocked to see it was his very own girlfriend, Quinn. Moreover, she's singing the lyrics like she really means it. She's singing about him and Puck.

_One night and one more time_  
_Thanks for the memories_  
_Even though they weren't so great;_  
_He tastes like you but sweeter!_  
_One night, yeah, and one more time_  
_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories;_  
_See, he tastes like you only sweeter!_

_One night and one more time_  
_Thanks for the memories_  
_Even though they weren't so great;_  
_He tastes like you but sweeter!_  
_One night, yeah, and one more time_  
_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories;_  
_See, he tastes like you only sweeter!_

Quinn hurriedly disappears off of the stage to turn the stereo off and Finn takes this distraction to leave without being caught.

…

Rachel fingers through stacks of different papers containing the chords to different songs. She has yet to locate the piano chords to 'Wake Me Up When September Ends'. If she plays piano and Noah plays the guitar… it would be much better than using a CD or iPod, giving it more of an authenticity.

"What are the chances of seeing again at this exact place?" Rachel looks over the mounting pile of papers and gasps.

"Jesse? You're supposed to be at Juilliard! What are you doing here?" Rachel says in awe.

"My parents' 20th anniversary is today. Tonight they're having a big party and well, as being their only son I had to be there."

"That explains why you're not at school but not why you're here," Rachel gestures to the room they were in. The same room they had met in months ago and he had swept her off of her feet with Lionel Richie's 'Hello' song.

"I was hoping to run into you," he answers. He weaves around the table toppling with the papers so they were face-to-face. "Jacob Ben Israel has been keeping me updated with what's happening with McKinley."

"Isn't that like stalking?" Rachel raises an eyebrow at him.

"It's not like I'm on Twitter reading all the tweets the kids from McKinley are writing," he shrugs. "I'm just curious what's going on in the school I used to go to."

"For less than a month," she interjects.

Jesse just shrugs again. He examines the papers then pulls one out, gives it to Rachel, and says, "I assume you're looking for this."

Rachel doesn't need to glance at it to know what song it is. "Jacob sent you the video of my duet with Noah."

Jesse hesitates then admits, "Yes, he did. Look Rachel, I know it's none of my business but-"

"Yes, it is none of your business," Rachel interrupts annoyed. "And there is naught to talk about. It was merely a duet, that's all."

"That's how it starts," Jesse insists. "Remember?" he nods to the baby piano. "And your fascination with Finn, that's how it started too."

"I hadn't sung a duet with Finn when-"

"Well, you were both the leads and singing to each other," Jesse corrects himself. "See, you fall for every guy you sing lead with; I'm surprised you haven't crushed on Mr Schue yet."

Rachel looks away blushing. Jesse's mouth curves into a sick smile, "Yeah, I figured." He drops the smile and looks into her deep brown eyes seriously, "Look, I'm only telling you this because I still care for you and I really hate what I did to you." Rachel isn't sure whether he is lying, or not. She had thought he was nice and sincere but it all turned out to be a hoax so she could discover her mother. Excluding all that, the words he now spoke of her pursuing a romantic interest in all those whom she sings a duet with _did_ seem truthful, looking at her history of relationships/crushes…

"It'd be worse if you fell for Puck," he says his name with venom, "because that guy is trouble. He'll screw with you, just like he did Quinn." With those dreadful last words does Jesse finally take his cue to leave whilst Rachel hears his speech echo in her mind, staring after him agape.

…

Their duet had been _awesome_. Not just awesome - _badass_.

Puck knows that because he is the picture of badassness. He thought Rachel knew it too because she knows good music and singing like the back of her hand. Past tense: he _thought_. He no longer thinks this now because Rachel had not gone up to him screaming rehearsal times for them to rehearse the song before finally singing it in Glee Club.

In fact, Puck thinks she was avoiding him. In Biology he had tried to talk to her as they were packing up but she had bolted out of the door before he could say a thing.

It was time for Glee Club to meet again now.

Rachel was sitting by the gleeks, staring intently at a notebook in her lap. She looks up when he enters the room but then quickly adverts her eyes back to the notebook.

_Damn, Berry is still flipping crazy_.

He frowns at her, confused, but she ignores him so he sits down with Mike and Matt.

"You guys ready to perform?" he asks them.

"Nah, still working on dance moves," Mike shakes his head.

"You're working together?"

"Yeah. What about you?" Matt asks.

Puck glances at Rachel, only seeing the back of her shiny brown hair. "I'm not sure," he answers truthfully. "I think I'm doing a solo."

Mr Shuester hushes down the chatter as he walks in. "Okay guys, we really got to get moving on those Band numbers. Anyone ready?" Similar to last time, there is only silence. "No one?" Mr Schuester says in disbelief.

"I need to get it perfect," Tina says in her defence.

"I'm still learning chords," Artie pipes up.

"And drum beats," Finn adds.

"Dance moves," Mike and Matt say in unison.

"Lyrics," Brittany says. "I only remember the first line."

"I'm ready to perform my solo," a melodic voice says from the front. There was no need to guess who it was: Rachel. Puck scowls at the word _solo_.

_What the fuck is going on with Berry?_

"I would like to get this Glee Challenge over and done with so we can focus on vital things in Glee," she says as she walks to the front.

"I couldn't agree more, this is such a waste of time," Kurt says bored, examining his nails.

"However as it is your wish, Mr Schuester, then I shall proceed to be a team player. Ready?" she asks the drum player and guitarists. They nod back at her and Rachel begins to sing her _solo_.

All the while Puck is wondering how the hell he fucked up _this_ time.

_**I can tell**_**  
**_**I can tell how much you hate this**_**  
**_**And deep down inside you know it's killing me**_**  
**_**I can call**_**  
**_**Wish you well and try to change this**_**  
**_**But nothing I can say would change anything**_**  
**_**Where were my senses?**_**  
**_**I left them all behind**_**  
**_**Why did I turn away?**_**  
**_**Away**_

She turned away because of Jesse. Why did she even listen to him? He knew nothing of relationships or of Noah. He was sweet and kind sometimes… but only _sometimes_.

_**I wish I could save you**_  
_**I wish I could say to you**_  
_**I'm not going nowhere**_  
_**I wish I could say to you**_  
_**It's gonna be alright**_  
_**It's gonna be alright  
**_  
_**Didn't mean**_  
_**Didn't mean to leave you stranded**_  
_**Went away cause I didn't want to face the truth**_

But is Jesse right? Does she only develop interest in those who can sing well?

_**Reaching out**_  
_**Reach for me**_  
_**Empty handed**_  
_**You don't know if I care**_  
_**You're trying to find the proof**_  
_**There were times I'd wonder**_  
_**Could I have eased your pain?**_

His pain and suffering is about his daughter Beth whom is now living somewhere far with her adopted mother… _Rachel's biological mother_. Both Noah and Rachel share something in suffering and they could have been able to help each other…

_**Why did I turn away?**_  
_**Away  
**_  
_**I wish I could save you**_  
_**I wish I could say to you**_  
_**I'm not going nowhere**_  
_**I wish I could say to you**_  
_**It's gonna be alright**_  
_**It's gonna be alright**_  
_**It's gonna be alright**_  
_**Save you**_  
_**It's gonna be alright**_  
_**I wish I could say to you  
**_  
_**We**_  
_**Can pretend nothing's changed  
Pretend it's all the same**_

Reverting them back to what? Ignoring each other in hallways?

_**And there will be no pain  
Tonight**_

_**It's gonna be alright  
It's gonna be alright  
It's gonna be alright  
Save you  
It's gonna be alright  
I wish I could say to you  
I'm not going nowhere  
I wish I could say to you  
It's gonna be alright  
It's gonna be alright  
It's gonna be alright  
Save you  
I wish I could say to you  
It's gonna be alright**_

_But it's not going to be alright if we ignore each other like this._

…

"We gotta talk," Mercedes says into her BlackBerry, "about Rachel."

"You bet your sweet ass we do," Kurt replies into his iPhone.

"Hey guys," Tina says intercepting their conversation with her Samsung phone. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Rachel," Kurt and Mercedes say in unison.

"Yeah, what was up with her in Glee?" Artie says into his ear-piece whilst using his hands to wheel along the hallway. "I thought she was going to sing with Puck."

"Puck looked mad the whole time she sang," Tina adds bewildered. "I'm guessing he thought they were going to perform together like us."

"He probably just acted like a Neanderthal again so she blew him off," Kurt offers in explanation.

"I guess so."

"It makes sense."

"Seems like Puck."

"What seems like me?"

The all stop in their tracks, startled. That voice does not belong to any of the four and definitely did not come from their phones. Well, that is what you get for talking into your cell-phone whilst the person you're chatting with is standing right next to you on their cell-phone, making the use of the phones inane and the conversation clear for any attentive open ears.

It would be no use to continue walking, knowing their eavesdropper was only a few steps behind leaning against the lockers, so they each pull their phones away from their ears and swing around.

"What seems like me?" Puck repeats, sullen.

"I-I…" Kurt stutters nervously.

Mercedes frowns at her best friend looking fearful of the bigger Jock whom had used to dump him in a dumpster one every week.

_Nah ah, no one does that to Kurt_.

"_It seems like you_ to do something mean to Rachel to make her do a solo instead of the slamming duet you two did together," Mercedes answers annoyed. "Sure, the solo wasn't that bad but it wasn't as good as your duet. So spill it, what did you do to her?"

"I didn't do _anything_ to her," Puck says.

_Wow, it sounds like he's telling the truth_.

"And how do you know about the duet anyway?" he asks, perplexed.

"Mercedes asked you first," Kurt finally says regaining his will to speak, "what did you do, or say, to Rachel?"

"And I told you, Hummel, I _didn't say anything_ to her after we sang together," Puck insists, irritated that they were continuing to question him. "She just said something her Dad was waiting for her and left. End of story. I tried to ask her if we were going to practice or something but she just blew me off."

"That's weird," Tina wrinkles her nose confused.

"Doesn't seem at all like Rachel," Artie agrees. "All you have to do is sing to her and she's following you around like a lost puppy like she did with Finn."

Puck doesn't bother to listen anymore and blanks out.

_All you have to do is sing to her…_

…

It is the final day of the 'Band' challenge and everyone, apart from Rachel, has to perform. Puck sits beside himself not taking in anyone's song but focusing on his own thoughts.

_Why the fuck am I doing this? I can get _any _girl I want so why the fuck am I going after Berry?_

There was only one answer he was willing to admit.

_Ma is still pissed about me getting Quinn up the duff. It's all over and she still staring daggers at me! If I get a Jewish girlfriend – meaning Berry – then just maybe Ma will calm the fuck down._

_Yeah, that's why. It's not like I _like _Berry that much, anyway. She's just smoking hot in those short skirts and she's kind of cute-_ Fuck_! Badasses do _not _say 'cute'. I'm only doing this because she's Jewish._

_Am I arguing with _myself_?_

"Puck!" someone shouts, snapping Puck out of his thoughts. He looks up to see Mr Shuester looking expectedly at him. "It's time for you to show us what you've got."

Puck grunts in acknowledgement, picking up his guitar and then heads to the front of the Choir Room to face the audience. His eyes focus on Rachel whom was ignoring his gaze by staring at her heeled loafers. When he begins strumming she still doesn't meet his eyes but sways to the beat.

**Emotive unstable you're like an unwinding cable car  
Listening for voices, but it's the choices that make us who we are  
Go your own way, even seasons have changed just burn those new leaves over  
So self-absorbed you've seemed to ignore the prayers that have already come about**

**This is the correlation of salvation and love  
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart  
With quiet words I'll lead you in**

Everyone sways along the beat too.

**La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la  
La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la**

**Backing away from the problem of pain you never had a home  
You've been misguided, you're hiding in shadows for so very long  
Don't you believe that you've been deceived that you're no better than...  
The hair in your eyes, it never disguised what you're really thinking of**

**This is the correlation of salvation and love**_  
(Don't drop your arms)_

Rachel finally looks up meeting Noah's beautiful hazel eyes and begins to sing along and the other girls join in.

**Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart  
With quiet words I'll lead you in**

**This is the correlation of salvation and love**_  
(Don't drop your arms)_**  
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart  
With quiet words I'll lead you in**

**You're so brilliant, don't soon forget  
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart  
You're so brilliant, don't soon forget  
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart  
You're so brilliant **_(This is the correlation)_**  
Don't soon forget **_(Between salvation and love, don't drop your arms)_**  
You're so brilliant **_(I'll guard your heart)_**  
Grace marked your heart **_(With quiet words I'll lead you in and out of the dark)_

**La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la  
**_(Don't drop your arms)_**  
La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la**

**This is the correlation of salvation and love **_(La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la)_**  
**_(Don't drop your arms)_**  
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart **_(La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la)_**  
With quiet words I'll lead you in**

He's made to stay back after everyone leaves so he doesn't get a chance to talk to Rachel. It's because Mr Shuester wants to compliment his performance and encourage him to sing more solos.

**This is the correlation of salvation and love **_(La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la)  
(Don't drop your arms)_

He grumpily walks to the parking lot thinking about how his performance went to such a waste when he notices the school parking lot isn't empty. Leaning against his truck is a waiting Rachel.

**Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart **_(La lalalala, la la la, la lala, la)_

Puck rushes up to her and once he's close to her he opens his mouth to speak when Rachel leans up to crush her lips on his.

**With quiet words I'll lead you in…

* * *

**

_A/N:_ Songs are "Thanks For The Memories" by _Fall Out Boy_ and "Save You" by _Kelly Clarkson_ and "The Unwinding Cable Car" by _Anberlin  
_Apologies for the late update. **-qaby- **seems to be off the radar at the moment.

Lots of love to those who read this chapter!


	4. Guys vs Girls

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Glee or any of the songs mentioned/sung_**  
**__A/N:_ Beta-ed by **-qaby-

* * *

**

**Guys vs. Girls**

Friday afternoon Football practice is the best.

Most people would be shocked by this statement because, _hello_, it's on a Friday after school. You're supposed to be at a party or on a date or trashing the local 7-11 for an early start on your weekend. You're not supposed to be sweating your ass off tackling other guys on the field.

But these shocked people haven't been to a Friday Football practice otherwise they would know that on the same day, at the same time, the Cheerios were practicing their routine on the edge of the field.

Coach Tanaka is dreadfully aware that this is distracting his team but cannot do anything about it because, shit, Sylvester is scary. Everyone knows this and no one in their right mind would stand up to her without having a death wish (Puck was surprised Mr Schue had lived through the night after he pissed the so-called '29-year-old' off).

After watching their fine asses in their Cheerio skirts, the football team quickly makes their way to the Boys' Locker Room. Puck's the first guy out because all the other guys are distracted by Johnson and Miller fighting - and watching them fight for the third time that day doesn't particularly appeal to Puck.

Santana is waiting by the door outside and she grins when she sees him. "Hey Puck."

"What do you want, Lopez?" he says. Yes, he's a still pissed with her after turning him – the _Puckerone_ – down and then singing _Womanizer_. Just a tad.

"You." Puck does a double take and a maniacal gleam twinkles in her midnight eyes at his reaction. "Not today though," she adds. "Parents are home and you can't sneak in so it has to be tomorrow."

_Does she think I'm just going to give in after she embarrassed the fuck out of me?_

"I'm busy," he tells her truthfully.

Santana laughs, "Yeah, sure."

_Great, she thinks I'm joking._

Puck moans in frustration and opens his mouth to speak when Santana interrupts, "I've got to get back to Cheerio practice, Coach only gave us a ten minute break while she goes scream at Tanaka. Just be glad Brittany's grounded and you were the first one out of the Locker Room."

…

Puck and Rachel both sit side by side on the couch in the Berry household living room, eyes fixed attentively on the significantly hefty plasma screen TV. Puck has his arm around Rachel whom is resting her head on Puck's shoulder.

Rachel has no idea how Noah had roped her into watching 'The Ring', especially since it was from her fathers' private collection and they are far too young to watch it - her and her irritating conscience - but she's surprised to find that she is enjoying something that isn't a musical. It gives her a thrill of adrenaline every time a horrific moment came up, and she finds herself vying for the next scary image, hoping that rush would return.

She wonders if that's why Puck has an affinity for getting himself into trouble.

There is another petrifying moment coming up; she just knows it. It has been too long since the last chilling scene and she snuggles further into Puck in fright. The boy glances down at Rachel and grins once he sees that she's practically in his lap.

Puck's phone suddenly starts ringing, startling them and snapping both of them out of their memorization with the movie. Rachel lifts her head off of Puck's shoulder and watches disapprovingly as the boy fishes out his cell phone from his front pocket, only to press 'ignore'.

"That's the fourth time your phone has rung, Noah. Who is it that is so desperately trying to talk to you?"

Puck sighs in frustration. Seriously, he was positive he'd been merely minutes away from making out with Rachel and the stupid phone had botched the moment. He frowns at the screen of his phone. "Lopez?" he reads aloud in awe.

"Santana?" she squeaks. Puck's sure that throughout the whole movie, she hadn't looked as terrified as she does at the mention of the snarky Latina. "W-why is she calling you?" she blabbers, confounded.

"Dunno," he says shrugging then checks the past 3 missed calls of that night. Yep, all of them had been from fucking Lopez.

_What the hell is wrong with her?_

Rachel peeks over to look at the phone. "She knows you're busy tonight, but yet she's continuously calling."

"She's probably just jealous," he assures her, a smirk growing on his lips as he thinks it over. "Why shouldn't she be? I'm a stud. There's only so much of me to go around, and she's probably pissy because she hasn't gotten her share yet."

"But what about the song - she sung _Womanizer_ to you," Rachel interjects, confused, ignoring his last sentence. "Moreover, _she_ broke up with _you_. As did I; as did Mercedes and Quinn… you're not admittedly a 'stud'."

Puck's face falls at her words. "Only a stud can do this," he abruptly says before bringing his lips to hers.

It takes her all of one nanosecond to unfreeze before she melts into his touch, all traces of their earlier conversation flying out of her head. Puck grabs her hips and is about to flip them over on the couch when his fucking phone starts ringing _again_. He groans with frustration into Rachel's lips, and jerks his phone out of his pocket without bothering to break their kiss, throwing it against the far wall with an easy flick of his wrist. It collides with the wall with a crack and, finally, stops ringing.

Rachel hears the _crack!_ and can't restrain the urge to giggle at his short temper. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see the situation) this gives Puck the opportunity to dart his tongue into her mouth, which he does shamelessly.

What? He knows she loves it, if her slight gasp and tightening of her fingers around his shoulder blades have anything to say about it.

…

"Where _were_ you Saturday night?"

He rolls his eyes. "I told you, I was busy," he answers, pushing past her and sitting down.

"You were serious about that? I thought you were joking."

"Well, I wasn't," he says, annoyed.

"So where were you?" Santana huffs.

"I was with a girl," he bites out, not really feeling the slightest bit of guilt when her eyes widen imperceptibly at his sharp tone. After all, it had been her who had nearly wrecked his date.

He looks up to see Finn and Quinn standing in front of him, hand-in-hand, the blonde counterpart of the twosome staring down at her shoes.

She hadn't expected him to move on so soon. She knew, though she hates it, that he had been with cougars that summer once they had broken up but thought nothing of it because it lulled his pain of having had to give their – wince – baby away. But now if he was with a teenage girl, maybe someone she knew and was as naïve as her…

Finn glances at Quinn and frowns at the sadness that was written plainly on her face. The blonde catches him staring and quickly flashes him a fake smile.

"So, what's this I hear about you going on a date? Do we know this girl?" Kurt inquires and Mercedes leans in to hear.

"Like I'd tell you Gossip Girls," Puck snipes.

Before they have time to press further on the topic of the girl - or how he knows to refer to them by _Gossip Girl _- Mr Schuester walks in along with the brunette Puck wanted to see all day. Rachel wears a thousand-watt smile on her face, beaming brightly at each one of her teammates. She looks much happier than she had been in forever Puck can't stop feeling smug - because hell yes, he was part of the reason she was all peppy.

"My, don't you look exuberant today," Kurt comments. "Good weekend?"

"_Amazing_," Rachel gushes. She and Puck make eye contact for a second and she sees the amusement in his eyes but then they look away and Rachel takes her seat.

_I get she doesn't want to flaunt our relationship around after just one date, but it doesn't help when she's looking at me like that as if waiting for me to kiss her. Yeah, I would love to kiss her – among other things – but after one date she doesn't want to 'advertise our affiliation until we are exclusive'. What does 'affiliation' even mean?_

_Still, I'm glad we went on that date. It had taken only a simple song to win her over - again. It had been fucking awesome. Dinner and a movie had sounded lame when she mentioned it Friday morning, but then she said the movie would be at her house alone… I'm not an idiot. She didn't want to go all the way but that was… frustrating, yeah, but it was only the first date._

"Good morning New Directions," Mr Schuester greets them as he walks in.

"Good morning," some of them grumble whilst others say it brightly.

"So I- where's Matt?" Mr Schuester asks frowning.

They all look around the room, only to see no sign of the football player. Matt had normally been so quiet so they had not noticed he was not in the room. All eyes then went to his best friend, Mike.

"He, uh, moved," Mike answers miserably. Santana and Brittany gaze at Mike sympathetically knowing how close he had been with Matt. "To Arizona," he adds, knowing there was no use of this information. "He would have moved earlier but there was a little trouble with the new house." Rachel's smile quickly disappears hearing this and so do many others.

_Without Matt this means we're down to 11 people in Glee Club, the minimum for competing in Sectionals being 12. If we don't quickly get another member then -_

"He didn't want to say anything because he was still hoping he wasn't going to move," Mike continues, interrupting Rachel from her thoughts, "and he thought that if he told then Principal Figgins would shut down Glee. Will he?"

Everyone snaps their gaze to Mr Schuester, anxiously awaiting their director's answer.

_Glad to see I'm not the only one concerned_.

Rachel would smile if it wasn't for the feeling of anxiety settling in her stomach. "What I was going to tell you," Mr Schuester says, "was that I will be holding auditions for Glee Club soon if any newcomers want to join."

"Not going to happen," Puck says. "Not unless the poor sucker is bribed or threatened into joining. On second thought…"

"There will be no bribery or threatening," Rachel sharply shoots him a you-should-know-better glare he many a times receives from his own mother. She turns her attention back to the rest of Glee and sighs, "However, Noah is right. No one is going to want to join Glee. Our population hasn't suddenly escalated and I'm not sure it's going to."

"Rachel, don't talk like that," Mr Schuester shakes his head at her. "People _will_ audition for Glee. I've talked to Principal Figgins and I've been able to persuade him to get you lot to perform next week for the whole school to boost Glee's credibility - promising it would be nothing like last time," he adds, looking sternly at Rachel who looks back at him, false innocence tainting her features.

"Sounds boring," Puck grumbles. If the performance was going to be nothing like "Push It" then why bother performing? Before he had joined, Glee had once performed for the school leaving the student body shocked... and aroused.

"Noah! I'm appalled by your lack of elation; this is the ideal way to reach out to our fellow students!" Rachel scolds. Puck rolls his eyes and sees that many of the other kids in Glee were also not hysterical about the idea. He could tell that they were thinking that they were just going to perform _Don't Stop Believing_ again. Rachel narrows her eyes observing their facial expressions then smiles suddenly. "How about we make things a little more interesting? A competition?"

Now this gets their attention.

"Like?" Kurt asks curiously.

"Girls against guys," Quinn announces, sliding her hand out of her boyfriend's, letting Mercedes high-five her.

"Perfect," Rachel nods. "Each team chooses a song which we shall perform to the opposing team the day before the assembly call; the best performance will display it to the school. Unless, of course, you're scared you're going to lose?" she adds belittlingly to Puck.

_Now it's on!_

"Scared of a couple of girls? Yeah right, the guys are going to win this thing!" Puck says triumphantly and the other boys whoop in agreement.

"We got this in the bag, right Berry?" Santana asks condescendingly.

Rachel smirks.

Mr Schuester coughs, bringing the club's attention back to him. "If you want a good friendly competition then fine. However, show choir is about working as a team and-"

"We'll tell the school _about _the competition before the winning team performs," Rachel cuts in. "To show that we like to liven things up in Glee from time to time."

"Okay, fine. But you have to promise that-"

"We won't use drugs," Finn interrupts.

"Well then," he says, not thinking of anything else to thwart them. "I look forward to seeing your performances next week. You're dismissed."

The students all get out of their seats to leave and Rachel approaches Mr Schuester. "I'm assuming you will be choosing the most adept display?" she asks him and a confused Mr Schuester nods. "I also assume that prior to last time - the Vitamin D incident - Ms Pillsbury shall also be judging?"

"Er..."

_I can't handle talking to Emma again._

Rachel looks at him expectantly, eyebrows raised.

"I'm only inquiring because I was planning on seeing her today," Rachel says politely. "I'll tell her we require her assistance in Glee, shall I?" She exits the choir room without waiting for an answer, sparing the teacher the embarrassment.

_I had no idea I could lie so ideally._

(She's a little smug but _c'mon!_ The talent will come in handy when she makes it on Broadway.)

Rachel waits outside the choir room until Tina and Mercedes came out and the three start walking down the hallway together. "Well, that was abnormal."

"You're telling me," Mercedes comments. "What's up with Mr Schue and Ms P?"

"Ms Pillsbury has a new picture on her desk," Brittany carelessly says walking alongside Santana and Quinn whilst everyone files out of the choir room; Puck catches Rachel's eye as he's leaving and secretly winks at her before following in Finn's direction. "It's of her and a guy," Brittany explains when being given bemused looks.

"So she's getting some but not with Mr S," Santana concludes abrasively, "and now he's all sad."

"Poor Mr Schuester," Tina says sympathetically. "They were so in love."

"Enough with the small talk, let's get down to business," Santana says abruptly and Tina pouts but shuts up. Santana opens her mouth to continue but Quinn puts a finger to her lips in silence then glances back to where the boys had disappeared to.

"Okay, the coast is clear," Quinn says swiftly putting her hands back to her sides. "The boys are gone; continue."

"Good, we don't need those morons eavesdropping. So, I've already got a full-out blown idea for how we're going to beat the boys," she says eagerly. "Berry, just let me have this one," she hastily says when the brunette opens her mouth to intervene her own ideas. She sighs and begrudgingly allows the Latina to proceed.

…

Mercedes and Tina are silently huddled together near the Guidance Counselor's office with their ears pressed against the walls, trying to listen in on the conversation taking place inside with Ms Pillsbury and Rachel.

"So, Rachel, what was it you wished to talk about?" the ginger-haired teacher asks cordially. Ms Pillsbury hastily puts the papers on her desk away neatly and, fearing germs, she reaches for the sanitizer that sat at the edge and applies some to her petite hands thoroughly, cleansing every inch of them.

"I was wondering if..." Rachel trails on, watching Ms Pillsbury frown with displeasure as the rest of the cleansing liquid in her sanitizer was used leaving it completely empty now. Swiftly, Rachel digs her hand into her tiny pouch of a bag and takes out her own bottle of sanitizing liquid and gingerly positions it on the spotlessly clean mahogany desk. "I always keep an extra one. God knows I'll need it whenever I come in contact with Jacob."

The Guidance Counselor smiles thankfully at her, taking the bottle. "He's still bothering you? Should I talk to him for you?"

"There's no need-" Rachel watches in awe as Ms Pillsbury opens the bottle with her left hand, taking most notice of the diamond ring on her ring finger. "Are you getting married?" she bursts out in shock.

In surprise Ms Pillsbury quickly slides her left hand away and hides it under the desk, all throughout knowing Rachel had gotten a very close look. "Y-yes," she says hesitantly.

"Does Mr Schuester know?"

Emma gulps, shocked that Rachel knows of the aggravated tension between herself and Will. She is still avoiding the fellow staff member and had luckily not ran into him so he was ignorant to the fact she was to become a Mrs soon. Now Rachel knows, what's to say she would not tell him?

"It, um - it's only recent. I haven't spoken to Will -Mr Schuester recently so I haven't told him."

"I see," Rachel slowly nods then glances back to the door of the office, wondering if the girls were still listening in.

_If the Guidance Counselor's office is that simple to eavesdrop into, maybe I shouldn't confess to all my problems here_.

"Well, what I was originally going to say is that we require your assistance in Glee. We need you to judge on two performances: one from the females, one from the males. If only Mr Schuester judged it would be biased."

She hesitates for a second, knowing that judging the contest would undoubtedly bring her into close proximity of the club instructor, but Emma sighs when she sees the fervent determination shining in Rachel's face.

"Okay, I'd be happy to help. When is this?"

"Next week, the day before the whole school assembly in which the winning team will be performing."

"That sounds perfect," she tells her meekly. "Tell W- Mr Schuester I will see him there."

Rachel looks at her suspiciously for a second with her eyebrows furrowed in thought, and then she nods and cautiously leaves.

…

Mike, Puck, Finn, Artie and Kurt all sat in the choir room in silence. It was the day after the Glee meeting and the boys had agreed to meet to discuss ideas. So far, they had nothing. That's right, nothing at all. Hence the silence.

"I would offer some songs but you would all just turn them down, yes?" Kurt asks, breaking the silence.

Kurt's hoping for a 'no' but Puck strictly tells him, "No shit, Sherlock."

"But we must come up with _something_! How did you choose our songs for the mash-up?"

"I put my iPod on shuffle and picked the first two songs," Artie answers.

Kurt sighs frustrated "Is anyone going to talk?" Kurt blurts out, annoyed. "I'm missing a group shopping trip for this!"

"Who the hell would want to go shopping with you?" Puck growls, agitated.

_I should have never agreed to this. But what could I do? Berry was making me look like a total pussy._

"Mercedes," Kurt says, seething. "She's going with the rest of the girls and since I'm stuck here with you I might have missed my only chance to go shopping with Rachel Berry - her new fashion sense is limited, you know!"

"Wait, did you say _all_ the girls from Glee?" Artie inquires. Kurt nods bemused. "Then they're probably shopping for their costumes."

"So?" Finn asks, confused to why this meant anything.

"So we have no ideas and if the girls are already shopping for costumes, that means they have it all planned out," Artie explains. "They're probably talking about it to each other while they're picking out clothes. It would be good to see what our competition is like."

"Isn't that _cheating_?" Kurt gasps, shocked.

Puck smirks at the idea. Dude, Artie is turning into a badass too. They both really need to win this thing otherwise Tina and Rachel will never let them live it down. But Kurt will never let them cheat because his alliance is and always will be with the girls.

"We shouldn't cheat," Puck lies. "Anyway, we've got no ideas, should we just go home?"

"Yes please, I'm done wasting my time and am off to do more important things to do," Kurt brusquely says and is the first one to leave. Puck, Finn and Mike get up from their seats to shuffle to the exit and Artie wheels alongside them.

"So we're doing this, then?" Artie asks Puck.

"Yep." Puck pops the _p_.

Finn furrows his brow in confusion. "But you just said -"

"That was to get Kurt out of the way," Puck explains to the idiotic boy.

"Dude, I dunno if we should do that," Finn hesitantly says. "If we get caught -"

"Pfft, we won't get caught," Puck smirks. "We'll split up – it's just eavesdropping! Did you leave your balls at home or are they in Quinn's purse?"

Finn scowls darkly at Puck and his abrasive words. "Fine, I'll go."

"Good. Changster, you in too?"

"Can we stop at the Food Court? I didn't eat lunch."

"Yeah, you're not the only one. But we have to be careful not to get caught by the chicks – especially Santana. She can get scarier and even more competitive than Rachel sometimes."

They chuckle at Puck but he continues to remain content. "I'm serious. You guys don't know how Santana beat the Seniors out of being head Cheerio."

…

"You ain't serious, girl?"

All six girls filled into the local mall together.

"Damn right I am. You really think Sylvester would just appoint a Sophomore just like that?" Santana scoffs at Mercedes. "I had to eliminate those Senior bitches and _then _she appointed me Head Cheerio."

"I find that quite unsettling," Rachel says to her. "I'm glad you're on our team."

Santana smirks at Rachel. She doesn't like her that much but she doesn't really hate her either – especially after she stuck up for her last year at Sectionals.

"Did you do that too?" Tina asks Quinn. "When you used to be a Cheerio?"

"No," Quinn shook her head. "My Dad was influential and donated a lot of money to the Cheerio fund, but after a few months the Cheerios got more funding from other applicants. Plus I'm not _completely_ evil like Santana. I'm more of the Beelzebub to her Satan," she adds, teasing.

"No one is as," Mercedes mutters under her breathe. "Hey, we going to Macy's first?" she speaks in a louder tone. The girls nod in agreement and head to the shop.

After thirty minutes of pondering around, pulling different dresses off the racks and trying on just about everything in the store they move on to the next shop without buying anything in case they found something more suitable and striking later on.

Just as they're leaving Macy's, they run into Kurt. "Is that offer for accompanying you on your shopping trip still open?" he politely asks them.

"Don't tell him anything," Santana tells the girls strictly then turns back to Kurt. "C'mon, we don't have all day."

With that, all seven of them explored every single clothing store in the mall, oblivious to the four boys cautiously following them around trying to catch snatches of their conversations.

"Dude, this is so embarrassing," Finn whispers to Puck as he ducks behind a clothing rack. "I feel like Jewfro."

"Why?" Puck inquires confused.

"Because he's Rachel's stalker," Finn explains like it was something everyone knew. Puck scowls.

_Mental note: kill Jewfro._

…

They don't find anything relevant apart from the fact Santana came up with the song choice but since Rachel is also in the team, they all know she's going to insist that her approval is necessary. Other than that, the boys know nothing. The girls are on their toes about what they say around Kurt out of fear from Santana so they don't let anything about their choice of song slip. Puck doesn't really mind.

It was worth it to see Rachel in the tiny dresses she tried on.

…

"Ladies first."

"That only works when the women _want _to be first."

"I'm trying to be a gentleman like you're always saying I should be."

"I distinctly remember I told you to be _less crass_. Not a gentleman, although that is always appreciated. Forcing us to go first is _not gentlemanly._"

"Shit, just do it!"

"I do not appreciate your foul language!"

"Guys, calm down!" Mr Schuester interrupts their argument. Rachel and Puck break away from glaring at each other to look at the curly-haired teacher.

It's the day before the assembly – meaning the day both teams of boys and girls have to perform for Mr Schuester and Ms Pillsbury to determine the best act to perform at the assembly. Amazingly, the boys had been able to think of a plan at the last minute in a desperate attempt to win. It wasn't because they _wanted_ to perform for the _entire school_ but because girls beating the guys is an _outrage_.

That shit will not happen while Puck is around.

The girls were overly confident that they would win. From day one when Mr Schuester announced it they had had it _all _figured out from the songs to the outfits. Sure, they had had to work on choreography but after getting the hang of the dance moves it was easy as pie.

Tina and Quinn had tried to weasel some information out of their boyfriends but the boys had their lips sealed, as did the girls. Rachel had tried to do the same with Noah but she had gotten a little… distracted.

Now, they were trying to figure out what team will go first to perform. The most confident and stubborn person from each group (Rachel and Puck - surprise, surprise) had taken to argue with one another about it.

"I am not a _guy!_" Rachel screeches, infuriated, and crosses her arms.

"I'm aware of that," Puck mutters whilst leering at Rachel's short skirt.

"Okay, I'm sure we can figure out who's going first in a civilized manner," Mr Schuester says, not having heard Puck's comment.

"Such as?" Rachel raises an eyebrow at the teacher, willing him to continue.

"Er…" Mr Schuester thinks for a minute then shoves his hand into his pocket and brings out a quarter. "Heads – girls go first. Tails – boys."

Rachel rolls her eyes at the childish technique but nonetheless says, "Fine."

Mr Schuester flips the coin then lets it land back on his palm then turns it over. "Boys, you're up."

"_Shit,_" Puck mutters under his breathe and Rachel smirks at him smugly. She's been hanging around with him too much – next thing he'll know, he'll be using words like _crude_.

He and the guys quickly shuffle together into their starting position.

…

The girls all clap enthusiastically with big smiles on their faces and for a moment the boys think the opposing team are a little scared of losing until Mercedes tells them, "We're still going to win, you know."

The girls nod with her.

"Okay, girls, you're next," Mr Schuester tells them and they hurriedly scatter to the bathroom to change into their costumes.

…

The girls stand on the stage in the same starting position as they had stood in when they sung their mash-up of _Halo_ and _Walking on Sunshine_. They're all clad in knee-length or higher Baby Doll dresses and ballet flats.

**Rachel**_  
I know you like to wear my dressing-gown,  
When I'm not there.  
I guess you like it in my shoes._

**Santana**_  
Just coz you drive a Mazarati  
And the ladies stare  
Don't mean you'll go as fast as I do._

**Tina**_  
I know it's summer in the city  
And the sun is high  
But you can play it cool again_

**Quinn**_  
Coz boy I seen you disco dancing  
With your pants on fire  
We need a little tropical rain_

**Mercedes**_  
So baby, baby_

**Brittany & Santana**_  
Watch the needle when your heading south  
_**Rachel & Tina**_  
You drive me crazy  
_**Mercedes & Quinn**_  
Just remember you can burn me out  
_**Rachel**_  
So get down..._

**All**_  
It's been a long, hot summer  
And it's 95 degrees in the shade  
It's only Sunday morning  
And I need that Friday feeling again  
You put me in a fever 50 stories high  
And suddenly I'm freezing  
And I don't know why  
It's been a long, hot summer  
And I'm shaking like a cool lemonade_

**Brittany & Santana**_  
If you wanna get fresh  
Get outta my car  
Coz the boys up due we're going to fast  
I'm taking my time now_

**Mercedes & Quinn**_  
If you wanna fly high  
Keep outta the sun  
When your fingers start to burn  
It's no fun  
So why don't you climb now_

**Rachel & Tina**  
_If you wanna get fresh  
Then take a cold shower  
Put your back on ice  
Before you turn sour  
Nobody can fool me_

**Rachel**_  
Now I'm cleaning my head  
And dusting my eyes  
Every time I feel the temperature rise  
I need you to cool me _

The boys thoroughly enjoy watching the girls sing. Puck thinks it's like implied _Push It_ minus the grinding and the dirty lyrics. He also loves the occasional secret flirtatious glances Rachel shoots him. His eyes linger away from Rachel to stare at Quinn in amazement. She too is wearing a _Baby Doll_ dress but her one was unusually tighter than the others, showing off her flat abdomen. He's amazed because he remembers not too long ago she was a lot bigger and eating for two. Crap, there he is again, thinking about Beth. He's trying not to think about his beloved daughter he had reluctantly given up.

**Rachel, Santana, Tina**_  
I'm partied out of house and home  
So baby if you fight me  
How you gonna like me_

**Mercedes, Brittany, Quinn**_  
Runnin down that Old Kent Road  
So think before you bite me  
How you gonna get back home_

**All**_  
It's been a long, hot summer  
And it's 95 degrees in the shade  
It's only Sunday morning  
And I need that Friday feeling again  
You put me in a fever 50 stories high  
And suddenly I'm freezing  
And I don't know why  
Its been a long, hot summer  
And I'm shaking like a cool lemonade _

…

"I really appreciate you helping me out, Emma," Will tells her after the students leave.

"It's no problem, I was happy to help," she says sweetly. "The decision was easy; the girls were amazing, weren't they?"

"Yes they were," Will grins as he remembers how overjoyed the girls had been when he had told them they would be performing in front of the school.

"You're a very good Coach to them," Emma compliments him and Will grins at her. "Um, Will, I uh, need to tell you something."

Will slowly nods, unsure of what she needs to say. Surely she isn't going to profess her love for him? No, that was impossible.

But that doesn't stop him from hoping.

"As you know, I have been dating Carl for a few months now and uh," she gulps nervously before she continues. Why on earth was she nervous? It wasn't like she was confessing to murder. "And he and I are getting married."

The pin is out of the grenade.

Will looks at her dumbfounded as though he is not sure he heard correctly. She hadn't actually said she's getting married to some dentist after he told her he loved her? No, this cannot be happening. How can someone get engaged again so quickly?

He wonders what the hell he did to deserve _this. _To see the love of his life marry someone else. He wants to scream out in fury and tell her that _no_, he is the one she is meant to marry.

"Congratulations," he says elated.

_Wow where did that come from?_

"Oh um," she's more than shocked at his words. Correction, word. _Congratulations? _He looks so calm; no one would know he was dying with heartbreak inside. "Thank you. I should leave," the last bit she blurts out because she can no longer look at him without tearing up.

…

"You were really good today, Quinn," Finn compliments before popping another fry into his mouth.

"Thanks, so were you," Quinn blushes.

"I can't believe Santana came up with the idea," Finn says. "It was really clever too; I didn't know she was that clever."

_No wait, I do know she was that clever. After all, she had been able to rope me into sleeping with her._

"I didn't tell you that Santana thought it up," Quinn frowns. "How did you know that?"

"Oh… I um…"

_Fuck!_

"Lucky guess?" Finn tries, anxiously smiling.

"_How _did you know?" Quinn clenches her jaw.

"Well, uh," Finn mumbles. "Me and the guys uh, we-followed-you-to-the-mall-and-listened-in-on-your-conversations," he hurriedly says without stopping for a breath.

"_How could you!_" Quinn screams, suddenly standing up. Crap, how did she know what he said? He had said it in Rachel-Berry speed! "I thought you were better than this! I thought you would never cheat again after that time you had Vitamin D! I thought…"

It goes on like this for a few minutes until Finn speaks up to defend himself. "Yeah, well, I thought I could trust you!"

Yes, he has to bring _that _up. The argument spirals away eavesdropping on her conversation and into a fight about Quinn getting pregnant with _his best friend's _baby and Finn kissing _Rachel fucking Berry _while he was still dating the blonde.

That's how Quinn ends up at his doorstep late that night sobbing. She knocks on his door and waits. She glances back and notices his mother's car isn't parked at the side of the street. She's so happy because his Mom _hates _her (and vice-versa).

_Thank goodness!_

(She no longer says "thank God". She's beginning to think there isn't one.)

He opens the door and pulls a confused face at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Finn and I broke up, Puck."

…

People say it's called a 'brain-fart' when you say something you're not supposed to. Finn doesn't get it because how the hell does your brain _fart_? That doesn't make sense. So instead, he calls it a 'word-vomit' because the words spill out of your mouth before you have time to stop it, like real vomit. Rachel had taught him the word 'word-vomit' because she's a walking thesaurus-dictionary and really smart.

That is why Finn went to see Rachel an hour after his breakup with Quinn.

_Maybe she can give some advice on how to make it up to her._

Unluckily this means he has to tell Rachel why he and Quinn broke up in the first place. When she hears, she is not happy.

"Finn, you're the male lead of New Directions!" she screeches. "You're supposed to be setting an example to all the boys! By cheating you're signifying to the others that it's acceptable for them too to cheat! It's Vitamin D all over again – except this time us girls did not _need_ to cheat and we won anyway!"

She's rambling a lot. Finn thinks she's having a word-vomit too but is too scared to tell her that so stays silent, quivering with fear on her bed whilst Rachel paces around shouting. She glances at Finn for a second and takes in the dread in his eyes and stops (a little unsure of why a grown boy is scared of a girl whom is barely five feet) and gingerly sits down next to him.

"Was it even your idea?" she asks softly.

"No, it was Puck's."

"Right," she rolls her eyes. She should have known. "Of course. You couldn't tell him no?" Strangely she's not angry at _Noah_ but surprisingly joyful – she has finally met someone who wants to win as much as she does and really, she's cheated a little before like when she spied on Vocal Adrenaline. It's expected of her. And Noah.

But not Finn.

"Yeah, I guess I could have, but he just freaks me out and I keep thinking he'll sleep with Quinn again for revenge."

Rachel narrows her eyes in anger. "Finn, Noah will never do that. You can trust him."

…

"Where's your Mom?" Quinn asks as Puck sits down next to her on the sofa in his living room.

"She had to switch shifts at the hospital," he answers. "And Sarah's staying at a friend's," he adds, remembering his little sister didn't take a liking to Quinn when she had once bunked with him.

"Oh," she awkwardly says.

"Q, cut to the chase. Why the fuck are you here? I was the one who wanted to spy on your little shopping trip, Finn just came along for the ride 'cos he knew he couldn't stop me." It was really Wheels' idea but Puck had been the one to urge it on.

"He could've told me after," Quinn protests. "And tonight … the things he said about you - about us - it was just so… I don't know," Quinn sighs in exasperation. "You're the only one who'll put up with me."

"I only put up with your shit because you always use the 'you knocked me up' card."

"Aren't you going to _comfort_ me?" Quinn asks outraged.

Puck rolls his eyes. "I'm sorry. Finn's a douche. You deserve better," he tells her.

"Thanks," she replies meekly and pulls him into a hug. He stiffens at first in surprise but then wraps his arms around her protectively.

…

"Thanks," Finn says to Rachel admiringly. "You could've kicked me out but you didn't. So thanks."

"I would never kick you out in your time of need, Finn," Rachel rolls her eyes and sits next to Finn on her bed. She gingerly places her petite hand (see, they are _not_ hands that belong to males) on Finn's shoulder. "I'll always be there for-"

Finn hastily leans in and crushes his lips onto Rachel's making her eyes widen with shock.

…

Elsewhere, on the couch of the Puckerman's living room, Puck and Quinn are passionately kissing, both of them very responsive.

* * *

_A/N:_ Song is "Long Hot Summer" by _Girls Aloud_

I'm sorry to Matt fans but I had to! I don't think he's coming back for season 2 either but Kurt is apparently getting a boyf in season 2. Inspiration, anyone?  
Apologies again for the late update! I'm sooo sorry but I'm overloaded with h/w and so is my beta.

Feel free to complain, especially about the ending. I need to develop the other characters too but remember, I love Puckleberry the most.


	5. 2nd Place

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Glee.  
_A/N:_ I really wanted to post this up before Season 2 starts. Unbeta-ed. All mistakes are mine.

* * *

**2****nd**** Place**

Rachel lies in bed fully awake thinking back to the moment merely hours before with Finn.

She had only tried to comfort him like any other caring friend would, yet he had immediately misread the signals of kindness for romantic interest and kissed her.

_Rachel stiffened instantly at the feeling of Finn's slobbery lips and was too shocked to move away. Luckily Finn broke away with an all too similar shocked and dazed expression._

Somehow she hadn't kissed him back; she had stiffened and Finn had pulled away bashful and crestfallen. After hastily apologizing he fled the house speedily, turning redder by the minute

That was the boy she had once loved.

Her fathers were already dreaming into their pillow in their bedroom down the hall while she lay wide awake on top her sheet covers staring up at the starry ceiling. For every award or prize she one she painted a star onto her ceiling with shiny gold paint. For every house she lived in she did this and it reminded her that she close to her dream of being a star. But now they were no comfort.

What should she be feeling? Happy? Sad? Disgusted? Mournful?

Sighing frustrated, she glances at the clock/ipod player on her bedside table. It reads 11:30pm. She has never been up this late before! If she doesn't get sleep soon enough she will have to cancel her morning elliptical workout which she had done _everyday_ for the past four years – since the first time she had bought the elliptical machine.

Nevertheless, she still can't sleep because she desperately needed someone to talk to. As she reaches for her pink cell-phone, she wonders who she knows is awake at the moment. "Call Noah," she says into the voice activated phone. He constantly stays up late playing video-games and what-not so he _must_ be awake at this hour. She waits whilst she hears it ringing. After a minute of ringing with no answer she gives up and instead texts him.

[_I really need someone to talk to._]

The reply was back promptly.

[**look out th wndo**]

Frowning at the text (and not just because of the idiotic spelling mistakes she's sure were made on purpose), Rachel shuffles to the window and pushes the curtains away letting the moonlight enter her room and looks out.

Immediately her jaw drops in awe; she's gazing down at the face of Noah Puckerman standing outside in her garden. "Noah, what are you doing?" she hisses at him, eyes bulging out of their sockets. Noah nods at her to come down so they were face-to-face. Ideally that's better than talking to each other from two storeys high which is not idyllic when she has parents she is trying not to awaken.

She hastily slithers her fluffy white slippers on then bolts out of her room and down the stairs. She stops in the Kitchen and slides open the garden door allowing Noah to enter. "Thanks," he mumbles as he walked in with his hands in his jeans pockets. He looks at Rachel up and down from her frilly black and white tank top to her black short to her fluffy slippers and then smirks. "Nice jammies."

Rachel rolls her eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asks again however this time she's calmer. Slightly.

"You said you needed someone to talk to," he tells her in a 'duh' voice.

"And you were able to rush over in less than a second?" she raises a brow at him.

"Fine, I just wanted to see you," he admits grumpily. Rachel smiles widely at hearing this, her heart beating faster. She leans up and gives him a small kiss on his lips which he swiftly deepens, putting a hand over her waist to pull her closer to him. Rachel abruptly pulls away suddenly when the incident earlier that day pops into her mind which instantly turns her off kissing Noah.

Noah sighs frustrated but shakes the feeling off and let's go of the small girl in his arms. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Finn came over today," she begins while opening the fridge. She takes out a can of soda and passes it to Noah. "He was very emotional blubbering about himself and Quinn breaking up for some unknown reason."

"Yeah, Quinn came over too doing the same thing," Noah says absent-mindedly as he clicks the can open then swings a sip of the fizzy drink.

"She did?" Rachel says frowning filled with amazement.

"Why'd you look so shocked? Is it hard to believe that she would come to me?"

"Well you've not known for comforting being the most comforting type of person," Rachel reminds him.

Rapidly Noah brings the soda can to the counter with such force a loud clank echoes through the room and Rachel winces, fearing her fathers have heard it. "I'll have you know I have the best shoulder to cry on. It's so '_comforting_'-" he says the word with venom, "-that Quinn even made a move on me."

"S-she did?" Rachel repeats whimpering, screaming at herself mentally to not cry and make a fool of herself as she had done before when Finn had told her he didn't want to be held down.

Noah's face falls when he saw the effect his words took action on Rachel whom was now biting on her lip and blinking rapidly to thwart away any emerging tears. "Shit; Rach I'm-"

"Did you kiss her back?" Rachel asks, her voice wavering at her displeasure. He doesn't have the heart to speak a lie. The girl of his _real_ affection catches the guilty look in his eye and groans in heartbreak. "So what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Quinn?"

"It's not like that."

"What? Did she pull away or something?"

He scowls again at the memory. Rachel instantaneously figures out her assumption is right. "She rejected you so you came to me because your ego was torn," she thinks aloud. She didn't know why she is getting so worked up; she has dated him for only a little over two weeks. "I should have expected this," she blurts out in fury.

Noah's remorse turns to anger in less than a micro-second. "What? You expected me to cheat on you?"

"No, I expected you to cheat on me with Quinn!" Rachel retorts. "I saw the way you were looking at her when we were performing! You still like her!"

"I was staring at her stomach, Berry! I was thinking of Beth!"

"That still doesn't explain why you kissed her back!"

"Forget this shit - I'm leaving. I don't need to explain myself to you."

"You do if we're dating. But it looks like we're not anymore," she adds sneering.

"No shit, Sherlock," he seethes, knowing how much Rachel hates crude language. Rachel's eyes widened at the offensive language but before getting to say the last word Noah pushes open the sliding glass door and flees from the house. Rachel stands frozen to the spot gaping only now realizing the event that had just occurred.

She and Noah have broken up.

…

They don't to each other the next day. They don't even look at each other.

It's just silence. He walks past her blatantly ignoring her as though she was any other student whom he did not know or cared about.

_Noah _doesn't_ care about me._

She ignored the pang in her chest as she thinks these words.

Finn and Quinn are back together. They're walking hand-in-hand along the hallway as they usually did. Finn catches Rachel's eye and they share a look. She knows what it means: he wants her to keep quiet about the kiss.

_Poor naïve Finn. He has no clue of what his ex-girlfriend – now _current _girlfriend once again – did last night. And neither does she of Finn. I've already ruined their unfaithful relationship once last year – it isn't going to happen again._

Later she walks to Glee at 3:30 and she and Puck end up trying to enter the Choir Room at the same time. She stares daggers at him and he rolls his eyes annoyed and lets her go in first.

She hurriedly sits down next to Tina who immediately nudges her in the ribs with her elbow and points to something. Rachel turns to the direction she was pointing to see Sam Evans, the blue-eyed high-cheekbones messy-blond-haired charmingly handsome captain of the Tennis Team, talking to Mike Chang.

"He just joined," Tina whispers in explanation to Rachel who bewilderedly nods. Surely an athlete like Sam wouldn't join Glee Club out of pure whim? It was highly suspicious.

"I see you've met our new member," Mr Shuester proudly says to everyone. "For those of you who haven't, this is Sam Evans. His audition was definitely the best."

"Wasn't that hard, the rest of the auditions were rubbish," Sam says modestly.

Kurt grins, staring love-sick at the tennis player.

_Sam Evans, new to McKinley from the start of 2010, is the kindest, sweetest athlete in this school… who isn't my soon-to-be stepbrother. And he can sing too? I must be dreaming because this is too good to be true! _

…

Rachel quickly rifles through her history notes, standing at her locker. With a huge history exam next period she needed to cram some more information in as fast as possible.

She stops reading and looks up from her book because even her own handwritten words are getting jumbled in her head and she notices him walking down the hallway with a Big Quench cup in his hand. She assumes it is his own and thinks nothing of it knowing he would never throw it at her. They make eye contact and she smiles warmly at him which she would do to any member of Glee Club and he returns the smile.

It was then she realized he was walking towards her. She glances at the slushie again and shakes the gut-wrenching feeling out of the pit of her stomach. The feeling happens automatically due to all the sadistic students always slushying her. No, he wouldn't slushie her. They're in Glee together through all the ups and the downs although they hardly talk to each other. Yes, he_ was_ a Jock but he _had_ chosen Glee over football. Rachel laughs at her paranoia.

"Hello Michael," she greets him lightly when Michael Chang stopped in front of her.

"Hi Rachel," he says awkwardly.

"Is there something you wished to talk about…?" she asks bewildered.

"Um, yeah… I was uh," he rambles uneasily, "I-I was wondering if you want to hang out sometime?" Crap, he was never nervous. It's only Rachel, for God's sake! It wasn't like she was going to eat him (but sometimes she was so creepy he could never tell _what _she would do next).

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Are you asking me on a _date_?"

"Y-yeah," he stumbles.

She and Michael hardly communicate, even in Glee. "May I ask what brought this on?"

"You're nice unlike some of the girls here," he explains calmer now, "and have a great singing voice. Plus you're single and I'm single-"

"You're single?" Rachel repeats baffled. "Were you not dating Brittany?"

"Dating? Nah, Brittany doesn't date," he tells her. "We just used to flirt and stuff but… y'know, we're in out Junior year now so it'd be nice to have something for real." He gives a nervous chuckle at the end.

_He wants to go on a date. With _Me_! _

_What should I tell him? Yes or no? Wait, what am I _thinking_? I have to say no – I'm forgetting Noah!_

She narrows her eyes when she remembers a crucial piece of information.

_But wasn't Noah the one to break our so-called relationship up in the first place by kissing Quinn back? So why should _he_ be stopping me from moving on?_

Before she can stop herself, she reaches out and gently places her hand on his stiff shoulder. "Calm down, Michael. I would be honoured to go on a date with you."

His face lights up. "So, um, I'll uh call you?" He hands her his cell-phone and Rachel removes her hand to input her number then hands it back to him. "Oh, and this is for you," he adds handing her the slushie. "It's Cherry. Sorry, I don't know your favourite."

"Thank you Michael," Rachel blushes pink and takes a sip of the slushie.

…

The extra two minutes study pays off and Rachel passes the test with flying colours. In fourth period she has Geometry. Only half-way through the lesson she has already completed the worksheet assigned to them but fears to mention it to the teacher without being met with daggering eyes and snide remarks so she keeps it to herself and instead reviews the chords to the new songs that Mr Shuester has had them practice.

"Psst," someone whispers behind Rachel. The brunette rolls her eyes. Those Neanderthals talk so gaudily yet the teacher is so oblivious to it all. Either that or Mr McNickel blatantly ignores them.

_Wait, the Neanderthals do not sit behind me in Geometry…_

She frowns, confused. "Hey!" a voice whispers again, poking Rachel in the back. She glances at the teacher at the front whose face is buried in a Newspaper then, seeing the coast is clear, she turns her head round to face the person who had jabbed her.

"Yes, Santana?" she asks the Head Cheerio annoyed.

"I hear you're going on a date with Chang," she says. Rachel's eyes dart to the blond-haired airhead Brittany who is absentminded of what her best friend is saying and was fiddling with her fold out ruler when it suddenly snaps. "Berry," Santana hisses getting Rachel's attention back.

"Oh, yes I am," she answers. "Do you have a problem with that?" she asks timidly.

"Nah, I'm just confused why you're going after all the guys in Glee."

"I am not _going after _the boys, nor do I have feelings for _all_ of them."

"Yeah, sure," Santana rolls her eyes. "Just don't break his heart so that he can't pop and lock anymore. We don't need any drama in Glee."

"I couldn't agree more," Rachel nods. "And I promise I will not hurt Michael in anyway."

"Good."

For a moment there is only an awkward silence until Brittany looks up and at Rachel. "Are _you_ okay with me going out with Michael?" Rachel asks concerned. After all, Brittany had once dated… no wait; Brittany did not have a courtship with Michael. However, you can never be too sure in case Brittany is harbouring feelings for him.

"Yeah," Brittany nods smiling. "You and Mike were cute in 'Gives You Hell'. Everyone thinks that."

"Unless they're jealous," Santana butts in. Rachel gives her an inquisitive look she shrugs and tells her, "Just saying."

…

Friday football practice might mean the chance of seeing a glimpse of a Cheerio's panties but Tuesday practice means Coach Tanaka acting pissed about them slacking off and makes them run extra laps. Finally Puck, Finn, Mike, Kurt and a few other Football players are given a ten minute break which they use to refresh themselves.

"So, what'd you do last night, dude?" Puck asks Finn casually.

"Just had dinner with Quinn," Finn answers awkwardly. It's _always _awkward between them. They're no longer best friends – not since the Baby-gate incident (name produced by Kurt and Mercedes) – but for the sake of Glee they didn't fight.

"You didn't get to finish it," Kurt mutters under his breathe. Puck hears the strange comment and raises a brow at Kurt. "I found him stuffing his face in the Kitchen last night. Then he left the house for an hour and came back _much _happier."

"Er… I don't get it," Mike says confused. "What happened?"

Finn sighs. "Quinn and I broke up at dinner so then I drove to- I mean, I drove _around_," Finn hastily stops himself from saying Rachel's name, "then went home-" Kurt smiles when he hears Finn call their house _home_, "-ate, then back to Quinn's and we made up."

"Hey, Finn? Everything's cool between you and Quinn?" Mike asks, prying. "So, you won't be going back to Rachel?" Finn looks at Mike in awe.

_Does he know?_

"What?" Finn says nervously. "N-no. I mean, yes! Yes, everything's cool between me and Quinn and Rachel and I aren't getting together again. Ever," he adds for effect.

Mike sighs in relief. "Good to know because, I uh, I'm going on a date with Rachel."

"You're _what_?" Puck snaps in disbelief. He turns to look at Kurt, one of Rachel's estranged friends, to see if it's true. Judging by the shocked look of the Kicker's face, he had no idea until now. Finn was just staring at Mike with shock too. Strangely, no anger was etched on his face.

"When on earth did this happen?" Kurt asks getting his voice back.

"Actually, we're not going on a date yet," Puck would have sighed in relief if he hadn't heard the word _yet_. "She just gave me her number and said to call her to make plans. It only happened today."

"Why?" Puck asks in awe.

"She's cute. She sings," he explains. "The list goes on."

"She also has fucking big mouth," Puck insists.

"She talks a lot and I don't," Mike shrugs. "Opposites attract."

_Like good girl and badass - another reason why me and Berry should've stayed together._

"Bad this is I don't know where to take her on the date. Kurt, you got any ideas?" Mike asks him desperately.

"The Bowling Alley!" Puck interjects hastily. He knows Kurt and Rachel are a lot similar to each other and if Mike takes Kurt's advice then he's _in _with Berry.

_Waste some more time and then Tanaka will blow the whistle for practice again. Kurt ditches while everyone showers so he can't give Mike tips on how to get into Berry's pants. _

_This shit you don't learn in lessons._

"That's a great idea!" Mike says excitedly. Wow, Puck had not been expecting that. Suggesting the Bowling Alley had just been to thwart Kurt from speaking his advice. "Rachel loves singing and they have karaoke nights! Thanks dude," he adds appreciatively to his friend and then Tanaka blows the piercing whistle loudly.

"Alright! Break's over!" he screams shrilly. Dude needs to get laid.

_Fuck man! Berry loves to show off her singing voice and loves to talk too. Chang actually _listens_. Next thing you know, they'll be making googly-eyes like St Finn and Quinn._

He clenches his fists in anger. It's because googly-eyes are nauseating, not because he's jealous. He's_ not_!

"Hey, do you think Rachel will be okay when Mike takes her to the Bowling Alley?" Finn whispers to Puck as they make their way over.

"Why the fuck won't she? There are fucking karaoke nights," Puck replies bitterly.

"Because I took her to the Bowling Alley last year to get her to join Glee Club again," Finn tells him.

Puck quickly slips on his helmet so his smirking is not visible. "Yeah, she'll be okay."

_The good Lord favours me over Chang! Score!_

…

The new school year apparently consists of a lot of sneaking around and spying, according to Artie. He had already been to the Mall to spy on the girls whilst they had shopped for their costumes for their performance, and now he is at the Bowling Alley with Tina, Mercedes and Kurt sitting at one of the booths watching how Rachel and Mike interact whilst bowling.

Obviously Artie doesn't want to be here. He isn't a gossiper like Kurt – the only other male with him – and in all honesty doesn't care if "she flipped her hair!" or if "he's flexing! Good sign!" because he'd rather be at home playing Call of Duty. But then Tina turns to him, smiling a small smile, and whispers, "Sorry about this. I'll make it up to, I promise." And everything's okay again.

Tina has been acting odd ever since she's come back from camp this summer. It's only Artie whom has noticed it. Not because he spends the most time with her, but because she only acts weird around _him_ when they are alone but not when they are hanging out with Kurt and Mercedes (and Rachel). Plus sometimes is Glee too – one memorable time is when Mike announced Matt had moved.

_Tina stared at the crestfallen Mike, pouting as though his misery was her misery too. Tina was a very nice person so assumed that she was upset for Mike. Trying to be comforting, he put his hand over hers. _ _Mike looked their way and makes eye-contact with her and his frown deepened as soon as he noticed Tina and Artie's hands entwined. Quickly he looks away from them so fast it seemed like he might have whiplash. Tina frowned too, confused, then saw the pale hand of Artie's over hers. Hastily she snapped her hand away from him and shot Artie a dark glare._

_What's going on with her…?_

Oblivious to the spies, Mike and Rachel are trying to have fun whilst ignoring the palpable awkwardness between them. They never talked outside of Glee so do not know each other well. Adding to the fact that Rachel is having her first date with Mike in the same place Finn had manipulated her to come back to Glee.

"You want some help, Rachel?" Mike asks her as she picks up a bright pink bowling-ball up which turns out to be alarmingly heavy.

"No, I'm alright, thank you," she says mildly, blushing as bright as the bowling-ball.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she lies. In truth her hand is aching and if she does not let go of the bowling-ball as soon as possible she's sure her hand will fall off. She swiftly turns to the lanes and hastily rolls the bowling-ball down her lane.

Tina smiles as she replays the scene in her head: Rachel hastily moving away from Mike. Tina is not at all happy Mike was on a date with her. Sure, she likes Rachel and she likes Mike even more but…

_Camp changed everything. I saw a whole new side of Mike; he's sweet and kind and nice and… a million other things._

_I was so upset when it was over and I had to go back to being with Artie. I mean, I like Artie but… I like Mike more. _

Tina sighs quietly and looks over at Artie. He pushes his glasses back and smiles at her.

_He's going to figure out something's wrong sooner or later and ask me. What would I say to him…?_

Rachel watches as the hot pink bowling-ball rolls in a surprisingly straight line to the pins at the end of the lane and gasps when _all _of the pins fall as they make contact.

"Congrats, your first strike," Mike says grinning and places his hand on Rachel's shoulder. She doesn't pull away because she is still staring into the distance in awe. "This is the first time I've seen you speechless."

"And probably the last time too," she manages to say giving a small laugh at the end. The awkwardness was gone and she was smiling a real smile. She turns to face Mike. "Thank you."

"For what?" he asks confused, still smiling.

"For making me feel like a normal teenager," she replies.

"You _are_ normal. Kind of," he adds laughing. Rachel grins wider at the somewhat compliment and reaches up to give Mike a quick hug.

Tina watches the encounter with wide eyes full of jealousy. She scoots closer to the edge of her seat to get a closer look at Mike and Tina and accidently knocks her empty glass over the table. It crashes onto the floor and breaks into pieces. Everyone turn their heads to the direction of the sound of shattering glass. This included Mike and Rachel whom rapidly stops their embrace.

"Is that Artie?" Rachel wonders aloud incredulously, noticing her cripple friend's bulky wheelchair.

"And Mercedes and Kurt and Tina," Mike adds in scepticism. He and Rachel share a disbelieving look then walk towards the group of spies.

A waitress sweeps up the fragments of broken glass from the floor with a dust-pan and brush. "I-I'm sorry," Tina tells her nervously. "I-I'll pay for it."

The waitress gives her a curt nod and leaves. Only when she is out of the way does Kurt notice Mike and Rachel walking towards them. "You ruined our cover!" Kurt menacingly hisses at Tina.

"I'm sorry," Tina repeats but is secretly pleased as to have interrupted Mike and Rachel's date.

"What are you guys doing here?" Mike asks them in surprise.

"Er, eating," Artie innocently says.

"Really? In the same location, on the same day, at the same time, I am having my date with Mike?" Rachel looks at them disapprovingly.

"Ever heard of coincidences?" Mercedes replies briskly.

Rachel rolls her eyes and mutter something that sounds like "insolent people". "Since you're here, you mind if we, er, _eat_ with you guys?" Mike asks them.

"Michael!" Rachel gapes at him.

"Of course you can!" Kurt excitedly says. "Move over, Mercedes," he hisses into his friend's ear and she quickly scoots further down.

"Michael, you're not honestly saying-"

"Sit down!" Kurt shushes the exasperated Rachel.

"Yeah guys, join us!" Mercedes insists.

Rachel looks at Mike once more then sighs, frustratedly. "Wait," Mike says, stopping Rachel. "I don't think we can," he says to Kurt. "I'm a little strapped of cash – I wasn't even planning to take Rachel to dinner." She frowns at her date.

_But he said he _was _taking me to dinner…_

"Don't worry, we'll pay!" Kurt tells them – desperate to witness their date firsthand.

"Are you sure?" Mike inquires.

"Of course I am! Now sit down," Kurt orders Rachel. She sits down and flashes a bewildered look at Mike. Mike discreetly winks back at her in a smirk causing Rachel's eyebrows to shoot up into her hairline in surprise.

She's attracted to the secret mischievous side of Mike and thinks he's perfect.

…

She learns Mike isn't all that perfect.

He may be nice and charming but Rachel isn't stupid. She sees the way Tina shoots her wary glares whenever Rachel says something to Mike. Moreover, she sees the happiness in Mike's eyes when Tina says an inside joke to him. Rachel has never seen him so happy.

Notwithstanding, Artie asks Tina what was so funny and Mike hastily cuts in to tell Artie it was just something funny that took place in camp. It was as though he did not want Artie to know, like it was something special and sacred.

…

The pitter-patter of light rain is heard from inside Mike Chang's car as he drives his date home. Rachel watches the drops of water slide down the outside of the car window, as she has been doing for the whole drive.

"Are you okay?" Mike turns his head asks her. She has been uncharacteristically quiet for a very long time.

She sighs then turns her head so her brown irises meet his. To Mike she does not _seem_ angry or furious but with girls you never knew. "I saw the way you looked at Artie," she says softly. Mike clenches the steering wheel at the mention of his name and turns his head back to the road. If he looks into Rachel's sympathetic eyes for a moment longer he'll end up confessing the truth.

But it doesn't matter. She already knows.

"You look at Artie the way I used to look at Quinn. With bitterness, anger… and jealousy," she says to him and he can feel her eyes burning into the side of his head. He focuses on the road and sees the rain lightening up. "And you look at Tina the way I used to look at Finn," she continues, "head over heels in love."

There's no use denying it so Mike doesn't. However, he still doesn't look into Rachel's eyes because he's sure they're full with pity. "Why did you ask me on this date?" she surprises him with the unexpected question.

"Because… because I like you. Seriously, I do!" he insists. "But I like Tina so much. I thought you could be like – a distraction or something. You're nicer than Cheerios, you can sing, you can dance, you're pretty -" Rachel blushes, "- and you're smart."

"You believe that by dating me you will be able to conquer over your feelings for Tina."

"Something like that. I mean, it _is _possible to like two people at once," he meets her eyes again and she knows he's talking about her past relationship triangle consisting of her, Finn and Jesse.

He parks his car outside her house but doesn't make a move to get out and neither does she. The lights of the Sitting Room are off however dim light of the hallway can be seen meaning her fathers are awake and most presumptuously in the Dining Room having a late dinner.

_He likes me. But I'm second place to Tina. I'm always second place! Yet he wants to pursue a relationship._

_This is like Noah and I Sophomore year all over again! We had been using one another to overcome our feelings for other unavailable people. Except instead of dating Noah I'm dating Mike and instead of having feelings Finn I'm pining over-_

Who?

_Noah_.

She still likes him. This is the first time she has admitted it to herself ever since that night a few days ago.

_I guess Mike is always in second place too._

"Kiss me," she blurts out.

"Huh?" Mike says dumbly, eyes widening with surprise.

"Kiss me," she repeats. Mike continues to look at her agape.

_Is she sure?_

She sounded sure and certain. He nods and Rachel's deep brown eyes flutter closed and her thick lashes meet her blushed cheeks. She hears the faint sound of a car backfiring.

Their lips meet.

Five seconds or so pass and Mike pulls away. "Anything?" she asks as soon as her eyes snap back open.

Mike looks down and shakes his head. "Sorry," he mumbles.

"It seems the feelings we have for one another are only as strong as mutual friends," she says wisely. There had been no spark or electricity in the kiss. No instinct craving for more.

"We can be friends? Even after all this?"

She flushes red with embarrassment. Of course, a popular Jock like Michael whom is very charming and sweet would not want to be friends with the low-life Rachel Berry. "Sorry, we can just go back to normal."

"But I want to be friends with you," Mike says making Rachel smile.

"So do I," Rachel replies smiling a small smile.

…

"I heard you didn't get any after your date," Puck says nonchalantly to Rachel as soon as she walks into school. Rachel looks up at him in complete awe. This is the first time he has spoken to since their break-up yet he talks so calmly as though it never happened. Two can play at that game.

"_Didn't get any_…?" she repeats confused at the phrase but then suddenly understands what it implies. "You are so vulgar!" she shouts at him with her eyes widening.

"Took you this long to figure that out?" Puck cheekily replies. "Sorry Chang dumped you."

"Did Michael say he _'dumped' me_?" Rachel says, outraged.

"So you're saying _you _dumped _him_?"

"No one 'dumped' anyone! Wait, how do you even know that it didn't work out between Michael and I?"

"I, uh, called him after your _date_," he admits and says the word 'date' with slight bitterness. "Asked how it went and he said you're just going to be friends."

"And from that you assumed he broke the premature relationship up?" She is irritated by Noah's assumption.

"Mike is like the smarter, less complicated and Asian version of St Finn," Puck chuckles. "You expect me to think you _dumped_ him?"

"For your _information_: Michael and I decided _both_ decided _together_ that our affiliation is better off as a friendship rather than something intimate."

"Good to know," Puck mutters. "See ya, Berry," he says directly to Rachel and begins to walk away. "Oh, and uh, nice haircut," he adds.

Rachel waits until he is a safe distance away then breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. Their encounter had gone much better than expected. However, this has unfortunately reincarnated the buried thoughts of what they are.

_Are we friends? Acquaintances? Heartbroken exes? Or just colleagues as I am with Quinn and Brittany?_

She shakes her head to rid it of impending thoughts. The brown bangs of her new haircut swished from side to side as she does so. The haircut was just a last minute decision encouraged by Kurt whom hated her middle-parting hair. Now maybe he will leave her alone about her fashion sense that has 'only improved from knee-socks and animal-sweaters by 40%'.

Her day pursues on normally and at 3:30pm Rachel sits alongside her friends in the Choir Room. She had already informed them of the outcome of her date with Mike. No, not telling them of their conversation about his crush on Tina but on how they have decided to be friends.

"Hey JB," Mike says as he drops into a seat near hers.

"Jay-Bee?"

"Acronym for Juicy Berry," Mike cheekily says.

"I do not know whether to be revolted, humiliated or happy – happy to the fact you know the word 'acronym'."

Mike chuckles and as he does so Mr Shuester walks into the Choir Room. "I have some good news," the teacher says. "Two new students have just transferred to McKinley and immediately asked to join Glee."

"Losers before their first day," Puck mutters quietly.

"They were excellent," Mr Schuester says oblivious to Puck's comment. "I introduce to you Maria Medina and Leon Medina."

Two teenagers walk into the Choir Room. The first one – a small tanned girl with short cropped black hair and sea-green eyes – walks in shyly whereas the other person behind her was a teenage boy and he strolls in looking confidant.

All the girls (plus Kurt) gaze at him in admiration. Leon looks very similar to his sister Maria with short curly black hair and matching eyes. He is wearing a v-neck white t-shirt under an un-buttoned short-sleeved black t-shirt showing off his muscles.

"Hi Ray!" Maria says enthusiastically to…

Rachel? Only the boys notice this and raise an eyebrow at her or looked stunned, the girls are still gazing hypnotized at Leon.

"Maria!" Rachel says in awe. "I can't believe it… you're actually here…" for the first time Rachel looks lost for words.

"What about me?" Leon interrupts. The girls' beak from their trance and stare puzzled from Leon to Rachel. "Don't I get a few words too?"

Rachel glares at him and says, "You would have if you had enlightened me with the fact you were moving to Lima."

"Sorry Rach, mi Madre es loco," he says sincerely. "She didn't want to get your hopes up."

"Sorry," Maria says meekly. Rachel loses her irritated expression and beams at them before jumping up from her seat and wrapping her arms around Maria first then letting go and embracing Leon even more tightly.

Puck has no idea why he clenches his fists when Leon places an arm around his ex-girlfriend's waist.

_What the fuck is going on?_

That's all he's thinking. Not evil ideas of how to murder their newcomer who was obviously older than him, meaning a Senior. No. Not at all.

(Maybe a little.)

"Hold this reunion shit," Santana interrupts growling. Leon releases Rachel and glares at Santana whom had ruined the happy moment of their reuniting. "You two know Manhands?"

"Santana, language," Mr Schuester scolds but albeit then turns to the new students and asks, "But, you two know Rachel?"

Rachel rolls her eyes, annoyed. "You all assume I materialized into Lima to grace you with my presence at McKinley. I lived in Oakland California for three years to attend Middle School there. I had a life before Lima. I even had friends."

"Have friends," Leon corrects and Rachel grins at him in admiration.

She looks up into his sea-green eyes and mentally curses herself for not staying aggravated at him for not mentioning he would possibly be moving to her town soon. She is not angry at Maria because the lovely girl is only 14 now and in her Freshman year. Furthermore, Rachel is not as close with Maria as to her best friend Leon whom, though only a year older than her, is still the greatest friend she can ask for ever since he defended her whilst showing her around their Middle School.

Still, she should be furious for a minute at minimum. After all, she had spent two weeks and with him during the summer. Her and her Dads stayed in the giant airy home of Sr. Medina (Leon's grandfather) and his wife (Leon's grandma) in Barcelona. They had spent all their time together and Leon hadn't breathed a single word of the possibility he will be moving to Lima.

After Glee Rachel and Maria walk briskly together, talking about how much they missed each other and what had happened to them since they had started school in an in inhumane speed, whilst Leon walked behind the two occasionally inputting something himself.

The other members of Glee trail a safe distance behind the three. "Who betting on it's one sided from Rachel and Leon just wants to be friends?" Kurt stage-whispers to them. Puck looks sullen at the sound of Kurt's malicious words.

"I am," Santana says.

"Me too," Quinn agrees.

"Same here," Mercedes says.

"Who thinks it's two-sided? That they're both ignorantly in love with each other?"

"That _does _make sense," Artie thinks aloud. Puck clenches his fists, furious that the smartest boy in Glee actually _thinks _that. "You don't really expect a guy like Leon – who looks like he can get any girl he wants - to put up with Rachel's tantrums for so long just because he had to show her around their Middle School?" he explains.

"Hey! _I _put up with her for Glee and _I _sure as hell can get any girl I want," Puck retorts.

"_Any_ girl?" Santana scoffs and Puck scowls even more remembering he can't have any girl he wants.

He doesn't have Rachel.

* * *

_A/N2:_ I'm not sure about the flow of this chapter because I quickly re-read it just now, overlooking some mistakes.

Now I've established the soon to be Mike/Tina union, who here likes **Quartie**?

**Beccarwen –** Sorry it didn't turn out like you hoped it would. Yes, one of the new characters (you can guess who) is going to be Kurt's bf.

**Emrisah**** –** Looking back that's what I realized, that it had started too quickly, so I've ended it so they both can grow up and it can be a true Puckleberry union.

**FREAKTONIGHT**** – **It's Mike who's going to be more involved ^^ but Matt's not appearing S2.

**LJ515**** – **Hope you didn't hurt anyone yet with those angry thoughts caused by me.

Next chapter is a Britney/Brittany one.


	6. Miniature Britney

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Glee.  
_A/N:_ All mistakes are mine.

* * *

**Miniature Britney **

The next morning Rachel is no longer pleased of Leon and Maria's return.

Yes, she had been overjoyed the day before but now she loathes the fact that they are in Lima. No, she doesn't loath Maria. She _despises _Leon.

It is because of him that the first time in… ever really, Rachel is running late.

_Late! _Rachel Berry is never behind schedule on _anything_. She's punctual and arrives to her classes five minutes _before the teacher_. On the rare occasion, she's at school before the janitor even shows up. (That no longer happens because being early for school has its downs… like walking in on Brittany and the janitor kissing.)

It all happened the night before when she and her Dads had gone to the Medina's new apartment for a house-warming dinner. It had been more than enjoyable and Rachel was reunited with the easiness of her friendship with Leon. It was one of the times she wasn't so high-maintenance and could relax. But then Leon had had to ruin the moment by saying, "Why don't you stay a little longer? You know, I haven't sung in a while and I need help on my high B."

Obviously, she had stayed a while longer to help because that's what friends are for and in the end she went straight to bed when she got home so had forgotten to turn her alarm on.

When she woke up that morning she felt happy remembering last night until she looks at the clock on her bedside table.

_6:50AM!_

She has no time to use the elliptical so felt a little ballooned around the edges but this doesn't matter because she only has time to eat _an apple._

For a girl who has every second of her day planned this is her worst nightmare.

(Little did she know it was going to get worse.)

Her Daddy drives her to school and she arrives just as the first warning-bell rings. She sighs, frustrated, and stuffs her almost empty bag into her locker and takes out her textbooks she needs.

Only a few students are milling around by their lockers not seeming to register the fact that school is now in session and Rachel discreetly rolls her eyes at them. Some day they will be seeing her name in lights.

She turns a corner in the hallway and freezes at the sight of a seething Quinn Fabray. Not only is that sight surprising, but the blond is accompanied by at least 6 Cheerios all dressed in their ridiculously tight red and white uniform.

"What's going on, Quinn?" Rachel fearfully asks.

"Last week Finn and I broke up because I found out he and the boys spied on us in the Mall. After a few hours we got back together. Last night I asked Finn what he did in those hours," she glares menacingly at Rachel. "Why the _fuck_ did you dump him in the summer when you were still pining after him? Let me guess – you fucking hate me so much you pushed him in my direction just to pull him away again? You're such a _bitch!"_

"Quinn," Rachel tries (and fails) to say soothingly, "maybe we should talk about this in a more quiet, secluded area."

"Why, Manhands? _Scared_?" it's like Sophomore year all over again. Rachel notices the Cheerios – just Freshmen and Sophomores – beginning to form a circle around her, thus leaving her no way to escape. She also sees they each have a Slushie. "Keep the _fuck_ away from my _boyfriend!_ This is the last time I'm going to say it!"

"Quinn, can we just-" Rachel is cut short by the slushies hitting every inch of her upper body. The ice is glacial against her flushed skin yet it is like an attack of hot coils. She feels it drip down her hair, soak into her t-shirt, ruin one of her favourite skirts. Though the corn-syrup is dripping into her deep brown eyes she still makes out the slim figure of Quinn laughing at Rachel's humiliation then disappearing away from her sight, along with the girls in red and white.

She's left standing there with the same thoughts as from when Vocal Adrenaline egged her running through her head. Hurt. Humiliation. Betrayal.

She can't show them – Vocal Adrenaline, Quinn, the Jocks, the Cheerios – that they've gotten to her.

_Do not CRY! Crying is weakness. That tear? It's just the corn-syrup burning your eye. _

Careful not to slip on the rainbow coloured slush dripping onto the floor, she hurriedly makes her way to the bathroom to clean up.

…

Rachel Berry is not the only one who is late to school. Minutes after the slushie attack Sam Evans stomps furiously into WMHS.

As a star athlete it's up to him to be a good example to the student body. Unlike the guys on the Football team or Hockey team, he never has to fear being kicked off his team due to low grades. Not because he's smart - he's actually dumber than Finn – but because he's _dyslexic_. But that doesn't mean he doesn't try in his lessons or it gives him the excuse to ditch. So as long as he attends all his lessons on time, unless he has a good explanation and reason, he's safe.

Telling your strict English teacher you're late because your Barbie Doll sister 'borrowed' your car to drive to school isn't a good reason at all.

_This is not supposed to happen to me!_

He's walking to his English classroom when he sees a locker door hanging open and stops. In a situation like the one he is in he shouldn't stop but on the inside of the locker door are the bold letters – in glitter – 'Rachel Berry'. In honesty, he just assumes that because it's followed by a giant star which he knows is part of Rachel's signature. Sam may not know the Diva well but he knows for sure that Rachel is not the type of person to leave things hanging open.

Then he reminds himself of the time so he closes the locker door and shrugs off the feeling that something is wrong. He continues walking but once again stops. He's just turned the corner and there are small puddles of rainbow slush all over the floor.

_Wow, some poor sucker got a titanic slushie attack._

… _Rachel Berry… Slushie attack… Is that crying from the Girls' Bathroom?_

He follows the sound of weeps and reluctantly goes into the source of it – the Girls' Bathroom.

For the third time that day he stops. More shocked that ever.

Rachel is covered in slush from _every colour_ of the rainbow. Her luscious brown hair is sopping in corn-syrup, lying over her sodden pink t-shit that clings to her skin and her skirt is sticking to her dancer legs. Her face is the only thing not covered in slush but Sam knows that that is because she has washed it.

But her face_ is_ covered in tears and her eyes are bloodshot red.

"Samuel!" she shouts in surprise. She quickly wipes the tears away from her face, albeit knowing he has already seen.

"Rachel, what happened?" he rushes up to her. He cringes at his dense question.

_She got slushied – with every colour of the rainbow! That's what happened!_

"I fail to see why that is any of your business!" Rachel says, aggravated. "And this is the Girls' Bathroom!" Sam rolls his eyes.

_Same old Rachel._

"I know that – I can read!" he retorts.

_More like I can see the stick figure with the skirt on the door._

"And I'm _sorry_ for thinking an innocent little girl got slushied and maybe she needed a shoulder to cry on!"

Rachel blinks at him. She had never talked to Sam before so did not know him. She had just assumed he was like Finn and Mike – afraid to stand up to her whenever she gets unnerved. She had assumed wrong – Sam is not scared of her and does not like being walked over. "I am not a little girl," she says to him and Sam scoffs. She doesn't like being walked over either. "I do not need a shoulder to cry on. And I do not want to ruin your shirt." The last part was added to assure Sam she is not looking for an argument.

"Who did this to you?" he asks this time, his voice in the gently tone he uses to sooth his baby sister – the less annoying one.

"I'd rather not say," Rachel tells him.

"Then just tell me the group. Jocks? Cheerios?"

"Cheerios. Mostly Freshmen and Sophomores," Rachel answers truthfully.

Sam frowns in thought. "Did you see a Cheerio with short curly blond hair and blue eyes? Kind of looks like me?"

Rachel furrows her brow trying to remember. "…Yes, I believe I did. Is she your sister?"

"Yeah," Sam mutters darkly. "I can't _believe_ she would do that to you! That must be why she took my car! I had to _beg_ my Mom until she finally gave in and lent me _her_ car!" He gives out a frustrated sigh then looks back at Rachel. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I am. I would like to say thank you, Samuel, for your concern in my well being. Now if you excuse me, I need to get to my locker to retrieve my spare clothes."

Sam cringes to himself, feeling very sympathetic that Rachel has to keep _spare clothes_ in case of things like this. "Wait, Rachel," he says, stopping her from leaving the bathroom. "I past by your locker and the locker door was left open. And the only thing I saw in there were textbooks."

Rachel's eyes widen in horror. "They _broke_ into my _locker?_" She stomps her foot in outrage. She _stomps_ her foot! "Those crass, horrific, egotistic, superficial b- _brats_ broke into my _locker_!" She's huffing in fury. "Now what am I to do? Walk around the whole day covered in _slush_?"

Sam's heard of Rachel's tantrums and he's sure this is the worst one. But he'd be furious too if he had been the victim of the Slushie Attack of the century. "I- I can give you a ride back to your house if you want."

Rachel lets out a sigh in an attempt to calm herself. "That's too much of me to ask of you. You're already inexcusably late for your first lesson and as a sole player of the Tennis Team it's your duty to keep your grades high and outstanding to stay on the Team."

_And they say she only cares about herself._

"…However…" Rachel has a twinkle in her eye. She suddenly smirks and then grabs Sam's hand and leads him out of the bathroom. Sam lets her guide him, not bothering to struggle.

_If she ends up taking me to her lair to murder me I'll put up a struggle _then_._

The last thing he expects is for Rachel to lead him to Principle Figgin's office. Sam hastily pulls his hand back and this stops Rachel from entering the office. "What are you doing?" he hisses at her to not be heard from inside the office.

"Trust me, I have a plan," Rachel whispers back before bursting into the room, leaving Sam watching in amazement. Rachel is met with the shocked faces of Principle Figgins and Mr Schuester and the annoyed face Coach Sylvester. "I apologize for interrupting your meeting," Rachel briskly says to Coach Sylvester before the terrifying blond had time to scream at her. "But I find my situation more imperative," she turns to glare at the Principle.

"Berry, did you fall into a Big Quench cup or something?" Sylvester grimaces as she look her up and down.

"Not that it's any of your concern but I was _bombarded_ with slushies from over 6 people. Actually, it is your concern because _all_ of them are Cheerios!" she adds, seething. "Principle Figgins, you should know my father is a high-class and very respectable lawyer and if I wished I could have him _sue_ you for allowing these slushie facials and attacks to continue _in the middle of hallways_ and not prohibiting them to persist!"

Principle Figgins stares up at Rachel in complete awe and fear. He gulps before saying, "Miss Berry, I-"

"Don't 'Miss Berry' her!" Sylvester shouts imposingly. "It's all invalid; my Cheerios would never Slushie anyone! It's all down to those rancid Football Players."

"My eye-sight is a perfect 20! They were all Cheerios whom Slushied me. I even know all their names!" The last part is a lie but they don't know that.

"Why would they all Slushie you?" Mr Shuester asks dumbfounded.

"Because I'm in Glee Club? Because of the way I dress? Or maybe because my parents are homosexuals? Another reason to press charges!"

"Miss Berry, maybe we should approach this matter more calmly-"

"_Calm?_" Rachel shrieks. "I'm covered in _corn-syrup_! Why should _I_ be _calm_? You are very lucky I have grown very fond of attending McKinley ever since Glee Club began so I will not be suing the school for its blatant discount for student safety – though I am still thinking about it. All I want now is your permission for Samuel to drive me home so I may shower and change my slush-ridden clothes to avoid further humiliation."

"Samuel…" Mr Schuester frowns but then sees the uncomfortable blue-eyed boy leaning against the doorway.

"I do not want Samuel's absence from his lessons to be penalized after willingness to be my good-Samaritan so I would appreciate it if you excuse him from his lessons due to these unfortunate circumstances. That goes for me."

_Rachel should be a lawyer like her Dad. She can talk herself into and out of anything. _

"Of course," Principle Figgins reluctantly nods.

"And also that there be no further conversation on this," she points to her slush-covered self.

"Or what, you'll demand this conversation never happened?" Sylvester enquires.

"No, I will make it my personal mission to have the Cheerios disbanded," Rachel retorts smugly and waits for Coach Sylvester's snappy reply.

"You remind me of a young Sue Sylvester," she says smiling and Rachel's jaw drops to the floor in horror. The same goes for Mr Shuester, Principle Figgins and Sam. "Now scram."

For once Rachel does as she's told and hastily leaves the office and Sam has to hurriedly stand away from the doorway so his body isn't caught as Rachel closes the door in one swift motion. She exhales in relief and then says, "That went well."

"_Well?"_

…

"Maybe we should continue this another time?" Mr Schuester suggests to Principle Figgins. He was still in shock at Rachel's sudden outburst and although she was gone now, he was still amazed at her confidence to stand up to Sue Sylvester.

"Why? Because you're still scared stoneless by Berry's balls and your lack of them?" Sue asks enticingly. "Face it, Schuester, without that girl you and your pathetic Glee Club would be lost."

"This is not the time, Sue," Figgins sternly tells her. "We'll talk about this later. I need to inform the attendance office of Ms Berry's and Mr Ander's excusal of lessons." He follows Will and Sue out of his office before disappearing into another office.

Will and Sue are left standing outside Figgin's office. "Well?" he says turning back to Sue. "Where are your comments about how much Rachel is a disgrace and I have to kick her out of Glee and whatnot?"

"You're lucky you have Berry in your stupid Club. She's insulting, manipulative, courageous… all the things Britney Spears is. You knock her down a peg but she comes back feistier than ever." He nods in agreement. "Nice talking to you, William," Sue adds, patting him not-so gently on the back and leaves.

_Britney Spears…_

Will smiles at his sudden idea.

…

"Feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge," Rachel tells Sam as she walks up the stairs of her house to go clean herself up in the bathroom. Sam absently nods at her.

_If someone at the beginning of the year had told me I would be in _Rachel Berry_'s house because I was _helping_ her then I would have used all the strength in my swinging arm to punch the ass in the face_.

He looks around Rachel's house in curiosity. The walls are covered in photos of her in all ages. Very few of them actually have her fathers with her. The ones that do, both her Dads look very happy and grinning like mad. One of them has dark chocolate skin, curly black hair and brown eyes like Rachel's while the other has pale skin, silver-grey eyes and blond hair. It is possible that Rachel's biological Dad is either of them – even the dark-skinned man because it is more than possible that Rachel had inherited her mother's complexion.

Sam had only found out the truth of Rachel's Mom when he joined Glee. He was informed by them that Rachel, although loving both her Dads, always wanted a female-figure in her life so sought out her Mom to find out she was the Coach of their rival Vocal Adrenaline.

He wonders around a little more, takes Rachel up on her offer and swipes a can of soda from the fridge, then settles himself in front of the plasma screen TV and switches the channel to ESPN. After five minutes or so Rachel walks downstairs clad in her new clean clothes. "Thank you for waiting," she graciously says to him.

"Don't sweat it," he tells her.

"No, I really appreciate it," Rachel persists. "I don't think anyone else would have offered to help me – not even Finn, Noah, Jesse or Michael."

Sam's eyes widen in shock as he evaluates what Rachel had told him. "Rachel, I'm not interested in you-"

"I know," Rachel cuts in, proudly smiling. "There are a few things I've learnt by having gay dads. One of them is how to spot a homosexual from a mile away."

Sam's eyes were now the size of saucers. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Rachel rolls her eyes at him. "You _know_ what I'm talking about, Samuel. I have what is called a 'gayder'."

"Well your stupid 'gayder' is fucking off because I'm not gay!" he snarls at her. She replied by rolling her eyes at him again.

The Tennis Player resists the urge of violence and clenches his jaw. So is this how it happens? The word is spread by Rachel Berry and her fucking big mouth. There was no denying it to her– she has the nose of a dog hound for sniffing out in-the-closet gays.

"Don't tell anyone," he urgently begs her. The guys in Glee also had informed him Rachel had been the one to break the news of the paternity of Quinn's baby to Finn and that she had a trout mouth. He will do _anything_ to keep her trout mouth shut about his secret. "_Don't_ tell _anyone_. Or… or I'll tell _everyone_ some Freshmen Cheerios pulled the Slushie Attack of the century on you."

Rachel's mouth drops open in horror at the threat. "It's not my secret to tell," Rachel reassures him.

"Thanks," he mumbles and turns off the TV. He gets up from the sofa and says to Rachel, not bearing to look her in the eyes, "We should be getting back to school."

"Okay," she mumbles back to him and they both walk awkwardly to the front door.

…

"Britney Spears," Mr Schuester tells the Glee club as he writes it on the whiteboard. "What comes to mind when you hear this name?"

Kurt and Tina immediately sit up. "Queen of pop culture," Kurt excitedly says.

"The reason why I wanted to become a performer," Tina tells them.

"Brave," everyone turns to the source of comment.

_Brittany?_

"She keeps singing even after everyone says mean things about her," she explains, shrugging like it is the simplest thing in the world.

"Exactly!" Mr Schuester ecstatically says. "That's why your new Glee Challenge is Britney Spears."

"Do we have to?" Puck groans in protest. "I mean, it's not even show-tunes!"

"Yes, Puck," the teacher strictly tells him. "You _all_ have to. I know she's not the best example out there but she _is_ brave and always bounces back after bad… feedback. Exactly like you, New Directions. We lost Regionals last year but here we are – working to win again."

"Very inspirational speech," Leon quips. "But is it only me that's noticed that the certain girl who we all know who's also spent the better part of her first two years here bouncing back time and time again after insults is _not here_?"

Artie is the first one to understand.

"Yeah, where _is_ Rachel?" he asks confused, glancing searchingly around the room.

The others also begin skimming around the room. "I _thought_ she was being unusually quiet," Kurt frowns.

"Isn't she always the first one here?" Mercedes rhetorically asks.

Mr Schuester can't face to look at any of them in case the sympathy on his face is readable and his students figure out he knows why Rachel isn't with them. Principle Figgins had excused her from _all_ her lessons that day so Rachel must have taken advantage of that and stayed at home because she was unable to face the Cheerios who slushied her. This would mean Sam drove back to school by himself…

"Where's Sam?" he asks.

"He's not here too?" Kurt asks scowling.

_Why must little-miss-perfect always steal the boys I like? Does she not have any other desire other than to show me that she will always get what _I_ want?_

_Solos, duets, leads, boys…_

A muffled noise of talking is heard coming from outside along with the clicking of heels and shuffling of shoes. "I _told_ you we were going to be late," an irritated feminine voice says.

"It's not my fault!" another voice, male, protests. That bit-"

"Quiet!" she barks and the Choir Room door opens. "My apologies for being late, Mr Schuester," Rachel apologetically tells the teacher as she walks in. Sam walks in behind her looking agitated.

"Where were you?" Puck demands icily.

_Seriously? She's dating me one week, Mike the next and now Sam fucking Evans?_

Sam glimpses at Rachel with curiously.

_What's she going to say? She didn't tell me before but she said she had it all worked out. I just hope to God that she's not going to say we're _dating_ or something – I don't need a gay beard._

_While he drove back to school Rachel stared out of the window being unusually quiet. Was she mad at him? Of course she was! He had fucking blackmailed her! He really should probably say something._

"_Hey Rachel?" he called her and she turned her head to look at me. She was no longer pouting but very perky and eager._

"_Yes?" _

"_Uh…" Now what? Was he supposed to say 'Sorry for being a dick to you?' 'Didn't mean to blackmail you into keeping the secret of me being a closet-case jerk?' "Nothing."_

"_Okay," she sadly mumbled and turned her attention back to the fascinating goings-on outside the passenger window._

"_No, it is something." Rachel looked back at him, this time confused. "Do your Dads… do they ever get any shit for being, uh-"_

"_Homosexuals?" Rachel offered and Sam shyly nodded. "It depends on what you mean by the s-word." He kept in the chuckle caused by Rachel's hatred of swears. "The small Jewish community hear in Lima are not disturbed by their sexuality. Of course, they were surprised at discovering it but my fathers are just ordinary people so they don't look down on them. The devout Christians are obviously not pleased by my fathers living in Lima and they can't help but gossip about us. The teenage boys in McKinley are very disturbed by them and – they'll never confess to it – slightly frightened as they are of Kurt." _

_Rachel cringed as if regretting having told him that. Maybe just regretting the last bit. "Thanks for answering," he said to her, smiling a small thankful smile._

_She nodded back at me, smiling a little too. "No problem at all."_

"_And I'm sorry. About before."_

"_You're forgiven," she replied meekly. Strangely, a second later she grimaced. His unspoken question of why was answered when he heard the faint groaning of her stomach. "Apologies," she blushed, embarrassed._

"_Didn't you eat breakfast?" he asked, concerned._

_She shook her head. "No, I was late," she answered._

"_Same here," he responded, feeling a pang in my stomach. Suddenly an idea came to mind. "You know, Figgins said we're excused from our lessons _all_ day."_

_Rachel propped her mouth open in thought. "Yes, he did. What's the importance of this?" _

"_We're excused from call and we're both hungry. You're Jewish, right? Don't you think this is a sign from God letting us - grade-A students who work our asses off – take a break? Maybe grab a little breakfast?"_

"_Normally I would say no to an offer like this. However, just this once I will agree. In truth, I don't want to see the faces of my attackers – no that is not too of a harsh word – so…"_

"_I can't believe you want to ditch!" he said shocked. He hadn't really thought she would actually _agree_ so he had a whole speech of changing her stubborn mind prepared. _

"_It's not 'ditching' if we have _permission_," Rachel corrected him, grinning._

"I was tackled by Ms Sylvester," Rachel prissily answers, speaking only the truth. She shivers a little at the memory of a few minutes ago.

_Sam pulled into the student parking lot as other students fled to their own cars and left. Rachel glances at the time on the dashboard to see they had arrived only as school has ended, 3:20PM. This meant only 10 minutes were remaining until they had to get to the Choir Room for Glee._

"_See, I told you we wouldn't be late," Sam grinned at his luck. _

_Rachel huffed, annoyed. Although she was happy that they were not late she _hated_ being shown up. She unlocked her seatbelt and left the car to pursue in the direction of the school. She heard Sam slam the door of his car and within seconds he had caught up with her. "Trying to ditch me?" he asked teasingly._

_Rachel rolled her eyes. "If I were to try I would not have failed so you would have never caught me."_

"_Right, because Rachel Berry wins _everything_."_

_Rachel rolled her eyes again. They're approaching the Choir Room when an empowering voice loudly barked, "Berry! In here!"_

_The two both jumped in surprise as well as horror because they knew who the voice belonged to. They turn their heads__synchronically and they saw Sue Sylvester standing outside her office with her arms folded, staring stiffly at Rachel. Sam had never felt sorrier for Rachel – sorrier than when he had seen her covered in slush earlier that day – than at that very moment._

"_What are you waiting for?" Sylvester shrieked. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard. "A bulldozer to push you in the right direction? In here, Berry!"_

"_Yes Ms Sylvester," Rachel replied and felt the hot blood rushing to her face. The Coach nodded at her and walked back into her office. Rachel grabbed Sam's arm and began to follow Sylvester with him in tow._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_Please, I beg of you, wait outside the room for me?"_

"_Why? You need me to call 911 if I hear a gunshot?" Rachel narrowed her eyes at him and relinquished her hold on Sam to fold her arms angrily against her chest. "Fine, I'll wait."_

_She smiled. "Thank you." Entering the office, she tried to tell herself that the peculiar temperature drop she felt was just her imagination. But why did she have Goosebumps? No wait - that was because of her fear. Albeit she had stood up to the vicious blond in Principle Figgin's office, she did not have the confidence could not do it again. Perhaps that was because it was only her and Ms Sylvester. No witnesses. _

"_Take a seat, Berry," she strictly told Rachel and the student obeyed. She had never been in the Cheerio coach's office before and took a moment to scan the room in curiosity. The mounts of trophies behind her she expected to see. The small childish figurines of smiley girls holding pink pom-poms she hadn't expected._

"_It took balls for you to shout at old Fig-head back there," she said, snapping Rachel's focus back onto the cold eyes. "You got away with it too. The only person who's ever done that is me. And how you did it was impressive."_

"_Uh, thank you for the compliment, Ms Sylvester, but why is this so important you had to demand me into your office?"_

"The reason why," Rachel continues…

"_I'll keep it short and simple. You have the kind of attitude that deserves to be in the Cheerios."_

"…Is because she wanted me to join the Cheerios."

The jaws of every Glee member (apart from Rachel's and Sam's) hits the ground so quickly Rachel's sure it hurts. Rachel had had a similar reaction when Ms Sylvester had told her.

_Rachel's eyes widened with shock. "Y-you're asking _me_ to join the Cheerios? _Me_?" she repeated in awe. Rachel's reputation might be higher on the popularity scale since she abandoned the knee-socks and animal sweaters but that didn't mean she was popular. Why on earth did Ms Sylvester want her on her squad then? "But…" she struggled to find a reason why not to. Correction: a _good_ reason. One that Sue Sylvester might understand. "I'm not qualified to perform any of your routines."_

"_I know you, Berry. I've heard all your blabber about dancing since you were 6 months. You can pull it off. Anyway, I thought you'd want to join. You'll get a higher power over the Sophomores and Freshmen so you can dish out your own punishment on the ones who turned you into a human popsicle."_

"_As promising as that sounds, being a Cheerio would require wearing the uniform every single day and I think that although it shows the squad being a team it doesn't show us as who we are as individuals and as female lead of Glee I need stand out from-"_

"_Shut up!" Ms Sylvester yelled at her in annoyance. "I'm giving you the chance to be one of the most popular girls in the hell-hole and you keep trying to find faults!"_

_Something inside Rachel snapped. "The faults aren't very difficult to find! I'm sure you know that in all the high schools in the state – no, in the country! – do not have a requirement for the Cheerleaders to wear their uniform everyday to school. It's not a rule!" Not being able to take it anymore, Rachel stood up so fast she got a migraine and folded her arms sternly against her chest. "It's just something," she continued, "you forced your Cheerios to do because you want to remind all the lowly insecure students that they're better than them! I can march into Principle Figgin's office right now and inform him of this and reinforce my threat of a suing!"_

_Ms Sylvester pursued her lips and stared intently into Rachel's glowering face. Then a smirk came to her face. "There's the attitude I was looking for. Fine, new rule: Cheerios must wear their uniform to practice like usual, to games and performances and competitions. _And _every Monday. On the other days they can wear whatever they want. That sound fair to you, Berry?" she asked the last part sweetly - but to Rachel it sounded very creepy._

"_I-I… yes, it seems so."_

"_Good. That new rule won't be enforced until you join the squad. You have until the end of next week to decide. No later because I can't listen to old Figgy's complaining of wanting me to hold try-outs for the squad that much longer."_

"You're not serious?" Santana says in complete awe after picking her jaw off of the floor then which brings Rachel back to the present.

"Yes, I am. She said she admired my confidence and courageousness and it was exactly she wanted in the Cheerleading Squad," Rachel explains to the Head Cheerleader. "She gave me until the end of next week for me to make a final decision."

"W-what are you going to say?" Quinn fretfully asks.

_Fuck! If she becomes a Cheerio she can get those other Cheerios to slushie _me_. They'd be more scared of Rachel than me._

"No, obviously," Mr Schuester cuts in before Rachel herself can answer.

She raises an eyebrow at the teacher. "I believe that's _my_ decision," she articulates primly.

"You're actually considering it?" Leon sceptically asks. Rachel falters a little. "What about everything you've said about the Cheerios being rude and stuck-up?"

She clenches her jaw. Her _best friend_ doesn't trust her judgement? "If you haven't noticed, I am all of those things. Furthermore, this is a good opportunity for me."

"To be more popular," Mercedes loudly whispers into Kurt's ear and he muffles a giggle; Rachel overhears (not hard to) and her nostrils flare in rage.

"No, not to boost my reputation," she darkly snaps. "But because Ms Sylvester told me that being in a National winning Cheerleading Squad will increase my chances of being spotted by talent scouts which will further my chance of getting to perform on Broadway." She wonders if any of them understand what she said. Knowing that bringing her tough attitude into this will not award her brownie points in Glee she drops the harshness of her voice and says softly, "I'm still weighing the pros and cons but I would very much appreciate that you all will support my verdict in the end, whatever it comes to. Because isn't that Glee is about? Knowing who your true friends are?"

Kurt's and Mercedes' faces softened with remorse. The faces of the other Glee members soften too, all apart from Quinn's. Instead, she feels the fury boil her blood.

_Rachel isn't going to win this war.

* * *

_

_A__/N2_: The chapter was too long so I split it in half. The next half will be posted late tomorrow.  
It's unlike the real episode but I wanted to be original.

Was I OOC on Sue?_  
_


	7. It's Britney, Bitch

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Glee or the songs mentioned/sung.  
_A/N:_ All mistakes are mine.

* * *

**It's Britney, Bitch**

Out of sheer guiltiness to their insulting comment Kurt and Mercedes ask Rachel if she wants to be part of their Britney video. "You'll be great for the part as the lead," Mercedes tells her. "And we can rope some Cheerios into dancing back-up!" she ads the last part proudly to Kurt as if putting an end to a supposed everlasting clause in their plan.

"Sounds brilliant!" Kurt gushes. "And Rachel must obviously have the required clothes from her hideous wardrobe!"

"Right down to the knee-socks!"

"_Excuse_ me," Rachel cuts in irritated. "Once you're done insulting my choice in clothes, can we discuss this music video?"

"_Re-make_ of music video," Kurt corrects.

"Yes, that," Rachel snaps. "What song is it?"

"The only song that needs to dress like you used to: _…Baby One More Time_."

"Really?" Rachel's eyes widen with surprise and then joy. "This will be excellent! The video can take place at McKinley in the hallways! We'll need a vast amount of cameras, not forgetting people to operate the cameras so-"

"We'll plan it all, sweetie," Kurt tells Rachel before she can ramble on any longer. "All you have to do is show up and sing while us directors do all the _real_ work."

…

"Quinn knows," Finn rushes to Rachel in the hallway. "About the _kiss_," he adds, whispering urgently.

_It's a tad too late to tell me now._

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, Quinn knows you love her and that I no longer have feelings for you. I must be going, bye," she adds curtly. She hastily disappears into the Girls' Bathroom and sighs in relief. She half expects Quinn to suddenly walk out of one of the stalls and surprise-attack her. That is why she quickly left Finn standing bewildered in the hallway.

_If Quinn had seen us then who knew what she would have done?_

…

Quinn didn't see.

"Fabray? What do you want?" tracksuit-clad Sue barks as Quinn marches into her office. Quinn wavers a little because it's been a while since she's been in contact with the cold steely eyes.

She's able to muster back up the confidence she had had when she confronted the Coach last year and demanded some of the Cheerios' pages for the yearbook. "I want back on the Squad," she fiercely stipulates.

Sylvester furrows her skinny blond brows in confusion. "You're joshing me, right? You marched out of my office last year after you said you prefer Glee and now you're marching back in saying you want to be a Cheerio again?"

"It's different now," Quinn persists. "I'm not pregnant anymore! And you know I can do the routines."

"But how do I know you can keep your legs closed?" Sylvester counters. "I can't let you be a Cheerio again if I can't trust you to do your job properly without getting knocked up again."

"Yet you trust Rachel Berry enough to offer a spot on the Squad?"

"Ah, so you've heard of that, have you?"

"Yes. Coach Sylvester, that girl is a _loser_."

"I know. But she's smart, confident and has a lot of ammunition to beat the daylights out of the South Ranges Cheerleaders. She's perfect, you're not."

"So, what? You're choosing her over _me_?" Quinn forces back the bile of disgust in her mouth.

"I'm not choosing Berry _over_ you. I would never choose you," Sylvester snarls at her. Quinn sighs, frustrated, and she knows there's only one resort left.

_We've reached the begging portion of the day…_

"Please, Coach," Quinn pleads. "I really want to be a Cheerio again. I'll do _anything_ to be on the Squad again!"

_I may as well be begging on my knees!_

"Stop your pathetic act," Sylvester snaps. "Water-girl for two weeks – after that I'll think about."

Quinn stops the pout forming on her lips.

_Take it or leave it, I guess._

"You won't regret this, Coach."

…

Leon Medina doesn't all too much like McKinley High. The school's known for its pathetic test-scores produced by the lazy-ass students who don't care at all about their grades or getting into college or _anything at all_ apart from themselves.

His opinion doesn't matter. His Ma isn't going to suddenly transfer him to another High School again when he's only been at McKinley for a little over a week. He just has to endure it. At least Rachel also attends McKinley otherwise he would be on his knees pleading with his Ma because he hates the school _that_ much.

_How the hell did Rach last two years here?_

It's mostly the Slushie facials he hates. He's not gotten any at all – he's one of the bulkiest Seniors so no one will _dare_ – but he's seen many others receive it. It's always the kids on the bottom of the popularity food chain dished out by the kids at the top.

_And Rach had to go through all of this alone with no friends to help clean her off…_

He knows about the weekly – _daily_ even – slushie facials she received in her first two years in High School. He and Rachel had emailed regularly during their time apart and she had told him _all _about her torture. It had been worse when they spoke on the phone.

_Those bastards made her _cry_._

He can't do anything to those fucking Jocks who gave her the slushies.

"_Violence is not the answer," Rachel reprimanded him as they walked to his car with Maria tagging along with them. "You must not, under any circumstances, lay a hand on those boys."_

"_Why the hell not?" Leon glowered. "After what they did to you? _Still_ do?" She got the rare slushie in the face every now and then._

"_Because the ending result will be you receiving slushie facials as well as I. _And _Maria," she added glancing at the smaller Medina. He scowled. _

"_Not to mention," Maria continued for Rachel, "you'll end up hurt. I know you're a Senior but you can't take on so many Football Players by yourself."_

"_What about that Puck guy?" he asked Rachel. "I didn't tackle him in Glee because Mr Schue was there but that doesn't mean to say I'm not going to give him a piece of my mind."_

"_Can't give him a piece of something that doesn't exist," Maria teased and Leon rolled his eyes._

"_You can _not_!" Rachel shrieked in horror. "Noah is a changed man. He no longer bullies me," she firmly told him._

What he really hates is just the fact that he's _new_, meaning he doesn't have many friends.

One day, he makes a new friend.

It's after third period and he's leaving the Chemistry sulking because he has just been given the results of his practice test paper and it's a fucking D-.

_Just be glad it's not a fucking F._

"'Sup?" Santana asks as she struts beside him.

"I fucking hate Ms Alan," he cusses. It feels good to let his anger out. Normally if he were with Rachel at this moment he would have to keep all the vicious swears in because she doesn't approve of it.

"That bitch? Everyone hates her," Santana comments, rolling her eyes.

"Easy to believe," he smiles. "So, did you want something or…?" he asks Santana curiously.

"Why was Rachel late to Glee yesterday?" she asks bluntly.

"She told you, Sylvester cornered her," he answers dully.

"Sylvester's always grumpy at the end of the day like the old granny she is and can't wait to go to back to her house at the nut-job shelter. She would've cornered Berry during the break between periods… _unless_ Berry wasn't in school."

"Are we talking about the same Rachel Berry?" Leon scoffs. "Around 5'2? Has brown hair? Kickass voice? Because _that_ Rachel Berry will never skip school no matter what."

"You're talking shit and you know it," Santana snaps. She looks intently into Leon's sea-green eyes for a minute before smirking. "In fact, you know something else – why Berry wasn't in school yesterday. Spill."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he rolls his eyes at her.

"Those years taking acting classes won't work on me," Santana sneers. Leon observes Santana's face, waiting for just the briefest flash of uncertainty.

_Crap. There goes my act out of the window._

He sighs, frustrated. "I can't tell you."

"Why? You promised Berry?" she says in a fake-sweet voice with a hint of jealousy.

_Leave it to Berry to be able to bag a Senior._

"It's not my secret to tell," he shrugs. "If Rach wanted you to know she would tell you."

"So she wanted _you_ to know?"

"Not really… I asked her, she said nothing, we argued, she let it slip," he explains describing the events of the day before. "She's still mad at me," he unnecessarily adds.

"Aw, trouble in paradise?" Santana sympathetically says. Truthfully she has never been more thrilled. Now she has a bigger chance with Leon.

Leon sighs again, this time exasperated. "Not you _too_! Does everyone think me and Rach are dating? We're just _friends_!"

Santana grins widely in happiness. "I _knew_ it! I knew you would never like a loser like her."

"Just because I said we're not dating doesn't give you the right to call her names. Rachel and I are still _friends_, remember?" he reproaches Santana, glaring.

"Alright, alright," Santana holds her hands up in surrender, "sorry."

_He's really protective of Berry, so they must be close. Close enough for her to tell Leon everything I've done to her. Fuck, I hope not._

"Sure you are. I got to go to class."

"Wait," she hastily stops him from leaving by grabbing hold of his arm. "Do you want to catch a movie?" she casually asks but crossed her fingers behind her back with hope.

"I don't know…" he trails on unsure.

"Why not? Do you have to ask _Berry's _permission?"

He narrows his eyes. "Rachel's not the boss of me but I _do_ have to think about her. She's told me all the bitchy things you've done to her."

"I don't do anything to her anymore. Just tease her now and then but she doesn't care. So, do you want to catch a movie or not?"

"Yeah, sure," he shrugs. "Tonight?"

Santana smiled widely. "Sounds great."

…

_Is it 'March Angrily Into Sue Sylvester's Office' day?_

That's what Sue thinks as soon as her nemesis, Will Schuester, barges into her office. "Hello William, what can I do for you today?" she asks him casually.

"You can explain to me why you're prying over an innocent girl like Rachel?" Will huffs, enraged.

"And what do you mean by that?" Sue harmlessly asks. "I was just giving a girl who's been made a laughing stock of this school – because you started that loser of a Glee Club – a chance to boost her popularity by becoming a Cheerio. What's the harm in that?"

"You know _exactly_ what the harm is!" he accusingly shouts. "You're using Rachel to get to me! You want to bring Glee down so bad that you'll use the lead as a pawn in your plan!"

"Get your facts straight before you decide to accuse someone, William, because I'll do no such thing!" Sue seethes.

"Then why? Why did you offer Rachel the chance to be a Cheerleader when you were so reluctant to hold try-outs for the Squad last year?"

"I don't need to have her try-out! She's been dancing since she was a foetus – she can handle the routines!"

"What are you trying to do? Make Rachel work so much on the Cheerleading routines as well as have me have her work hard on her solos and duets that she has to quit one of the teams to take the pressure off? Because she'll quit the Cheerleading Squad-"

"She hasn't even decided whether she's going to join or not!" Sue yells back. "And Berry isn't the one you should be worrying about."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Quinn Fabray. The girl _begged_ to be part of the Squad again."

His eyes widen with alarm. "Y-you're lying."

"I talk nothing but the truth. Just like it's true when I tell you that your hairstyle seems to have gotten puffier over the summer. Is it just a perm or are you trying to get an afro, Schuester?"

Will ignores the hair jibes and focuses on the information he has been given about Quinn. "What did you say to Quinn? Is she a Cheerio again?"

"That girl? She can't keep her legs closed for that long."

"Sue," he warningly says to her.

"Like I said, I speak nothing but the truth. I told her I couldn't trust her so I gave her the spot as water-girl. I'll decide if I want to make her a Cheerio or not in the end. See, It's just innocent old me trying to give two girls a chance, what's the harm in that?"

"You're up to something, I know it," Will narrows his eyes then hurriedly leaves with the last word.

Sue stares after him for a moment with her nostrils flaring with anger and then she cools down with satisfaction. She pulls her journal out of one of the drawers of her desk and opens it up at the first black page. The first words she writes are big and in capitals.

_RACHEL BERRY_

_Obnoxious. Rude. Courageous. Fierce. A pain in Schuster's ass. She's all the things I __love__._

_She's scary too. I've been observing her over the few years she's been here and she's never shed a tear when faced with the unholy fist of a slushie. If the pathetic Freshmen girls on the Cheerleading Squad were to ever meet the sucker-punch of a slushie they'd be bawling their eyes out. Maybe Berry can help toughen them up._

_I would do it myself but I have to work my ass off now trying to make up new challenging and creative Cheerleading routines otherwise the South Ranges Cheerleaders will pummel the Cheerios just like they did a decade ago when their Coach had been __Angelina Christensen__. Christensen's routine involved singing, dancing, acting – the works! I've never said this before but… she was better than me._

_And now she's back coaching the South Ranges after working in some Godforsaken place in the Philippines' coaching those girls for their Asian Cheerleading Nationals. And damnit, if she wins Nationals again I'll… I'll start coaching in the Philippines'! _

_That's why I need Berry. She's the best singer in this school and I need her vocals for the Squad. The fact that she can do cartwheels and has been taking ballet is icing on the cake. _

_If she doesn't decide to be a Cheerio I'll hassle her until she __begs__ for a second chance to be one._

…

Santana is feeling over the moon, is jumping for joy, is chirping with cheerfulness and all that shit. It is because Leon Medina, one of the hottest – if not _the_ hottest – guys in school just accepted to go one a date with her.

He had been a tough case. Santana had flirted with him since day one when he started at McKinley. She had pouted her lips, twirled her hair, licked her lips, swished her hips, and shortened her skirt - the works. And he had said not two words to her or asked her out on a date. If it had been any other guy they would be _begging_ to go on a date with her. Leon is different. And Santana loves it.

All she had had to do was ask _him_ out on a date because it seemed he would never ask _her_. And he accepted.

Imagine how pissed Santana is at lunch break when Sylvester tells her there's an extra practice after school. The day of her date with Leon and there's _Cheerio practice_.

Yes, very pissed. However, she's able to call Leon and asks if they can push their date to 6PM instead of 5PM and he replied with the casual, "Alright."

_Do fucking all boys always sound so careless?_

After alerting the other Cheerios of this news via text she finds Brittany (the blonde's standing next to the water fountain trying to figure out how to operate it) and asks her if she knows why Coach has ordered the extra practice.

Brittany is a little… unintelligent. Actually, a lot. That is why everyone, apart from Santana, finds it acceptable to talk at her. They let their emotions and secret thoughts out and Brittany willingly listens. These people aren't worried because Brittany is very forgetful and by the next hours doesn't remember the things the students and sometimes even teacher have told her. Unfortunately for them Santana knows how to make Brittany remember. It takes a lot of tries and guesses but in the end Santana has some gossip to spread.

Unluckily Brittany isn't sure. "Maybe she just wants to get Coach Tanaka mad," she suggests.

They find out during practice when they see Quinn sitting at the edge of the bleachers next to a water cooler, several cups, and some water bottles. "Looks like we have a new water-girl," Santana nudges Brittany and smirks.

_Leave it to Sylvester to humiliate Quinn time and time again._

As the Cheerios all make their way to the Girls' Locker Room to shower and change, Santana notices Quinn being lectured by Sylvester. Their Coach's words are yelled so loudly they may as well be shouted throw her bullhorn. "I _TOLD YOU_! It's supposed to be _MINERAL WATER _from _EVIA_! Not this _crap_!"

"She looked like such a loser!" Santana laughs as she brushes her slightly wet hair back into a ponytail. Some Cheerios are still in the shower but they giggle at Santana's comment as do the others who are getting ready to leave.

"Is Quinn made out of water?" Brittany dimly asks Santana.

"No, Britt."

"Then why do we call her the 'water-girl' now?"

"Because she's in charge of water."

"Oh…" she nods, understanding now. She adds a little lip gloss to her lips and then turns to face her best friend, smiling. "Okay, I'm ready to go to the Mall."

"The Mall?" Santana enquires, confused. She thinks for a second and then her mouth opens into an 'O'. "Shit, did we make plans to go to the Mall?"

"Yeah," Brittany pouts, "aren't we going?"

"I'm _so_ sorry, Britt," Santana apologetically says. "I have a date. With Leon," she joyfully adds, smiling again. "Turns out I just had to ask _him_. And he said yes! Anyway, we can always go to the Mall some other time, right Britt?"

"Yeah," she answers, although unsure to where the conversation is leading to.

"I knew you'd understand," Santana grins and glances at the time on her phone. "Shit, I got to go home and get ready. Bye Britt," she hastily adds, pecking her friend on the cheek and then rushes off out of the Locker Room. Brittany is left staring after Santana until she realizes something.

_Isn't Santana going to give me a ride home?_

_Brittany hurriedly grabs her purse full with the money she was supposed to spend during her shopping trip and pursues in the direction her friend went but she is nowhere in sight. Heartbroken, she tries to walk back to the Locker Room to ask the other Cheerios if they're willing to drive her home._

Luck doesn't seem to be on Brittany's side that day because she is unable to find the Girls' Locker Room. Instead, she stumbles into the large Auditorium. At the side of the stage a stereo is visible alongside a number of CDs. She vaguely remembers Mr Schuester telling Glee that he will be leaving some Britney Spears CDs in the Auditorium in case any of them decide to rehearse there.

_It won't hurt to sing a little. Unless I get that Larry thing like Rachel had. But Rachel sings a lot and that's why she got it. Can I get Larry-in-jitus if I sing a solo? But… Mercedes and Kurt and Finn never got Larry-in-jitus so I don't think so... Screw it, I'm singing. I love Britney songs._

She's been in love with Britney Spears ever since she saw her on TV. She would always dance along to the music videos and sometimes even sing along too. She even began to spell her name B-R-I-T-N-E-Y until her Mom scolded her.

Brittany makes her way to the stage and fiddles around with the buttons on the stereo until she finds the one that opens the thing-a-majig where you put the CD in and pops a CD in. She fiddles around with the buttons once more until she finds the play button and begins to sing.

**I know I may be young, but I've got feelings too.  
And I need to do what I feel like doing.  
So let me go and just listen.**

**All you people look at me like I'm a little girl.  
Well did you ever think it be okay for me to step into this world.**

**Always saying little girl don't step into the club.  
Well I'm just tryin' to find out why cause dancing's what I love.**

**Get it get it, get it get it  
Get it get it, get it get it  
Get it get it, get it get it**

**I know I may come off quiet, I may come off shy.  
But I feel like talking, feel like dancing when I see this guy.**

**What's practical is logical. What the hell, who cares?  
All I know is I'm so happy when you're dancing there.**

**I'm a slave for you. I cannot hold it; I cannot control it.  
I'm a slave for you. I won't deny it; I'm not trying to hide it.**

**Baby, don't you wanna, dance upon me,  
To another time and place.  
Baby, don't you wanna, dance upon me,  
Leaving behind my name, my age.**

**Get it get it, get it get it  
Get it get it, get it get it  
Get it get it, get it get it**

**I'm a slave for you. (Here we go now)  
I cannot hold it; I cannot control it.  
I'm a slave for you. (Here we go) I won't deny it,  
I'm not trying to-  
**  
Suddenly she stops when she notices a tall lanky boy standing in the doorway of the Auditorium, watching her. As she rushes over to turn the stereo off the boy walks up to the stage.

"That was really good, Brittany," Finn compliments her.

"No it wasn't," she replied flatly and then she pulls he plug out of the socket to stop the stereo.

"Well, it wasn't _really_ good," he meekly says, running a hand through his short hair. "But it _was_ good. You just need to work on it a little."

"How?" she asks, confused.

"Uh... like, the high notes and stuff," he shyly answers. Awkwardly he looks around the nearly empty room. "Are you alone? Where's Santana - I thought you two were always together?"

"Not _always_. We don't go to the toilet together," she tells him in a 'duh' tone. "She had to go home to get ready for a date."

"Aren't you two dating?"

"Sex isn't dating."

"Oh... wait, doesn't Santana drive you to school and back home?" She pouts and sadly nods. "I can give you a ride if you want. I was waiting for Quinn - you know she's the Cheerios' water-girl now? - but Coach Sylvester has her running around doing tasks and junk so she told me to go home and she's going to call her Mom to pick her up."

"Poor Q," she comments. "Do you know where I live? Because I forgot."

"Uh, yeah, I do."

"And Finn?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Brittany smiles appreciably at him and he grins back.

…

_To be a Cheerio or to not be a Cheerio, that is the question._

Rachel sighs, frustrated. It was Day Three and she was no closer to deciding if she wants to be a part of the Cheerleading Squad. She made a pro/con list on Monday night but although there were more pros, some cons were most important. Then she gave an amount of points to each pro and con from 1-10, 10 being the pro/con was very important. She began adding up the points but it had been so late that she fell asleep. She wasn't bothered to continue now.

_Is it a matter of becoming a Cheerio or becoming popular?_

She was still a loser at McKinley but now she didn't have to fear that there were Jocks behind her, plotting the best time to slushie her. From time to time they taunt her but that was that. She gets over it. She's still getting over the Slushie Attack from Quinn and the young Cheerios. If she joins the Cheerleading Squad she can punish the Cheerios who slushies her...

Being a Cheerio will mean wearing the uniform every Monday to school. The skirt she isn't worried about because she always wear skirts - she's wearing one at the moment. It was the top. All the Cheerios (apart from Becky and Mercedes) are slim and slender. Rachel, on the other hand, is slender too but her curves are much more obvious. Won't she look ridiculous?

Not forgetting she will have to have her hair tied up in a high ponytail. She has always been a little self-conscious of her forehead. She takes a scrunchie out of her locker and pulls her dark brown hair into a ponytail and examines it in the mirror hung up inside her locker.

_I look… nice._

She begins to smile until someone yanks the scrunchie out of her hair. "Hey!" she yells, irritated, and whips around. "What are you _doing_, Noah?" He smirks and opens his mouth to speak but Rachel suddenly stops him by saying, "And don't even think about saying whatever dirty comment you had in mind."

"Chillax, babe," he tells her, handing the scrunchie back to her. "I just want to enjoy the view while it lasts."

"What are you insinuating? That soon I will no longer look adequate?" she glares at him.

"No, I mean you'll be dressing in those Cheerios uniforms," he explains, "and you'll have your hair up all the time. Let me enjoy the view of you like this while I can."

"I haven't decided if I am joining or not," she reminds him, closing her locker. "And also, I had forgotten to mention this earlier but Ms Sylvester promised that if I join the Cheerio will only be needed to wear their uniform during practice, at Football games, and on Mondays. Other than that they can wear whatever they wish to wear."

Noah's eyes widen with surprise. "Are you serious?" Rachel nods. "You know what this means?"

"You will be unable to enjoy watching Cheerios walk past?" she says flatly, ignoring the piercing in her heart as she says this.

"No. Well, yes... Whatever. What it means is that Sylvester _really_ wants you to be a Cheerio."

Quinn watches the encounter from the other side of the hallway. She rolls her eyes when Rachel begins to go on and on about something. Although she can't hear what they're saying, she knows Rachel is explaining something - probably some Broadway play - in vivid detail. Oddly, Puck is nodding along totally interest. Then he says something and runs his fingers through her brown bangs which makes Rachel go pink and playfully swat his hand away. Quinn clenches her fists.

_Must Rachel Berry get everything I lost? My ex, my cheerleading spot, my ex, soon my popularity and then my whole life._

_Two can play at that game. I can take something of Rachel's. And what does she love most? Solos…_

…

Rachel walks up to Kurt and Mercedes who are both sitting in the Choir Room. "I realize you two have not contacted me yet with the days of practice. Has there been a problem with the cameras or something?" she enquires using only one breath.

Mercedes shoots a glare at Kurt. "You said _you_ were going to tell her."

"I never said such a thing!" Kurt counters. "I said _I_ should tell her _with_ you."

"I never said I was gonna tell her!"

"Tell me _what_?" Rachel bursts out, aggravated.

Kurt rolls his eyes at Mercedes. "_I'll _tell her now."

"How do I know that you'll just say later that _I_ was supposed to tell her now?"

"That honestly does not make sense at all."

"Tell me _WHAT_?" Rachel shouts over the two's bickering.

"We have decided to go a different way with the video," Kurt calmly answers.

Rachel looks at them questionably. "By which you mean…?" the decibels are lower because Quinn, Santana and Brittany are filing into the Choir Room, surprisingly early for Glee.

"Quinn's staring in the video instead."

"_WHAT_?" Decibels are now much higher. She doesn't need to turn her head to know that Quinn is smirking. "_Why_?"

"She's blond," Kurt flatly answers, shrugging. "Not to mention the dance moves are little advanced for you." Rachel clenches her jaw.

_This is all _her_ idea! She's still in the mood for revenge! Wasn't the slushie attack enough for her? She convinced Kurt and Mercedes to let her be in the video instead of me!_

"If that was the case then why isn't Brittany staring in your video instead? She's blond and a much better dancer than Quinn."

Brittany brightens at her words. "Thanks, Rach," she smiles at Rachel who smiles back.

"Britt can't handle singing '_…Baby One More Time_' as a solo," Mercedes tells her as though Brittany wasn't even in the room.

Rachel glances at Santana, awaiting her to blow up in front of Mercedes's face and reproach her for thinking Brittany can't handle a solo in defence of her best friend. However, it never comes.

_Santana is not defending Brittany? I feel like I'm in another galaxy. Santana has _always_ defended Brittany – the two are inseparable! Unless this means Santana believes that Brittany can't handle a solo? No, that's absurd…_

Brittany glances at Santana too, then back at Mercedes and mopes. Santana is oblivious to both of their glimpses at her because she is all to focusing on Leon who has entered the Choir room, followed by Artie, Tina and Maria.

_I've never heard Brittany sing alone before, or in a duet. However, she is able to keep up with the group songs, which means she is not tone-deaf. She may not be able to sing show-tunes or any Broadway song for a solo but a pop song seems more adequate for her. A Britney song for Brittany._

"Alright guys, who's ready to perform?" Mr Schuester asks them all. Rachel hurriedly sits down as the reaming members of the Club enter and take their seats. Maria sits on Rachel's left and Noah is the one to sit a few seats away on her right. He flashes a small smile and Rachel smiles back, blushing a little because she keeps reminiscing of the scene in the hallway. Her smile fades when she sees Leon sitting on one side of Santana's and they were whispering to each other with grins on their faces.

"They went on a date Tuesday night," Maria whispers to her when she catches Rachel frowning at Leon. "I think his reputation is going to be the same as it was in California." Rachel rolls her eyes. Leon is and always will be a player.

"I'm ready to perform," Santana says, causing Noah to shoot a worried look at Rachel who shrugs back, confused.

"It's a Britney Spears song, right?" Mr Schuester asks to make sure Santana was sticking to the number he had given.

"Yeah."

"Of course," Noah comments, "because Satan's only good at singing Britney Spears."

Santana rolls her eyes at Puck's comment. "Don't worry, Puckerman. This song isn't about _you_." She smirks a little before she begins to sing.

_Baby, can't you see?  
I'm calling a guy like you  
Should wear a warning  
It's dangerous, I'm fallin'_

Santana looks from boy to boy but avoids meeting her eyes with Puck's.

_There's no escape  
I can't wait, I need a hit  
Baby, give me it  
You're dangerous, I'm lovin' it_

Her eyes lock with Leon who grins, amused, back.

_Too high, can't come down  
Losing my head  
Spinning 'round and 'round  
Do you feel me now?_

_With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic, I'm slipping under  
With a taste of poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic?  
And I love what you do  
Don't you know that you're toxic?_

She is all too busy focusing on Leon to see Brittany's fallen face. However, Rachel does notice.

_Too high, can't come down  
It's in the air  
And it's all around  
Can you feel me now?_

_With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic, I'm slipping under  
With a taste of poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic?  
And I love what you do  
Don't you know that you're toxic?_

_Don't you know that you're toxic?_

_With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic, I'm slipping under  
With a taste of poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic?_

After Glee Leon and Santana are walking hand-in-hand down the hallway with Maria watching disgusted and Brittany watching upset.

"Are you okay, Brittany?" Rachel asks the blond.

_She's not the brightest star in the sky but she does possess _feelings_. And her feelings are written clearly on that angelic yet idiotic face of hers._

"No," she answers simply, still watching Santana and Leon.

_Dimness means bluntness?_

Brittany wrenches her eyes of the two to look into Rachel's brown ones. "Will you help me with something?"

…

Rachel steps onto the stage clad in a v-neck white t-shirt, white frilly skirt and matching Chic-Lace up heels. She stands at the centre and looks to the occupied seats where New Directions sit.

"Okay, Rachel, take it away," Mr Schuester tells her.

"Thank you Mr Schuester," Rachel says. "I apologize for the last minute move to the Auditorium but a bigger staging area was needed for the Cheerios to dance in-"

"You were able to convince Cheerios to help?" Kurt incredulously asks.

She truthfully answers, "Yes. They were more than willing." She glares at him for his interruption but then frowns when she glimpses at the students surrounding him. "Where's Quinn?"

A few of them look around. "Forget her, where's Brittany?" Santana asks, outraged. "Shit, did she get lost again?"

"Quinn had to go help Coach Sylvester," Finn sheepishly answers Rachel. Mr Schuester curls his lip in hidden anger.

"And Brittany?" Santana asks Finn who merely shrugs back. She rolls her eyes at him just as the music begins.

**All my people in the crowd  
Grab a partner take it down!  
**

All eyes dart to the side of the stage and are all shocked when Brittany emerges wearing an exact replica of Britney Spears's outfit in her music video _Me Against the Music_ right down to the blue streaks in her hair. She winks at Santana and then starts to approach Rachel with a leering smile.

**It's me against the music**_  
Uh uh_

Rachel nods at the advancing Brittany.

_**It's just me**__  
And me  
_**Yeah**_  
C'mon  
Hey Brittany?  
_**Are you ready?**_  
Uh uh, are you?_

_**No one cares  
**_**It's whippin' my hair, it's pullin' my waist**_**  
To hell with stares  
**_**The sweat is drippin' all over my face  
**_**No one's there  
**_**I'm the only one dancin' up in this place**_**  
Tonight I'm here  
**_**Feel the beat of the drum, gotta keep it that bass**

They're all in awe at Brittany's singing voice which keeps in tune with the music. The Cheerios appear on the stage dressed as dancers and they and Brittany copy the moves from the music video.

**I'm up against the speaker, tryin' to take on the music  
It's like a competition, me against the beat  
I wanna get in the zone, I wanna get in the zone  
If you really wanna battle, saddle up and get your rhythm  
Tryin' to hit it chic-a-tah  
In a minute I'm a take a you on, I'm a take a you on**

_**Hey, hey, hey**_

_**All my people on the floor  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
Let me see ya  
__**All my people wantin' more  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
I wanna see ya  
__**All my people round and round  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
Let me see ya  
__**All my people in the crowd  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
I wanna see ya  
__**So how would you like a friendly competition  
Let's take on the song  
It's you and me baby, we're the music  
Time to party all night long**_

_**We're almost there  
**_**I'm feelin' it bad and I can't explain**_**  
My soul is bare  
**_**My hips are movin' at a rapid pace**_**  
Baby feel it burn  
**_**From the tip of my toes, runnin' through my veins**_**  
And now it's your turn  
**_**Let me see what you got, don't hesitate**

**I'm up against the speaker, tryin' to take on the music  
It's like a competition, me against the beat  
I wanna get in the zone, I wanna get in the zone  
If you really wanna battle, saddle up and get your rhythm  
Tryin' to hit it chic-a-tah  
****I****n a minute I'm a take a you on, I'm a take a you on**

_**Hey, hey, hey**_

_**All my people on the floor  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
Let me see ya  
__**All my people wantin' more  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
I wanna see ya  
__**All my people round and round  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
Let me see ya  
__**All my people in the crowd  
**_**Let me see you dance**_  
I wanna see ya  
__**So how would you like a friendly competition  
Let's take on the song  
It's you and me baby, we're the music  
Time to party all night long**_

_**Get on the floor, baby lose control  
Just work your body and let it go  
If you wanna party, just grab somebody**__  
Hey Brittany  
__**We can dance all night long**_

_Hey Brittany, you say you wanna lose control  
Come over here I got somethin' to show ya  
Sexy lady, I'd rather see you bare your soul  
If you think you're so hot, better show me what you got  
All my people in the crowd, let me see you dance  
C'mon Brittany lose control, watch you take it down_

The Glee Club burst into a round of applause and they all make standing ovations. Brittany, beaming with joy, pulls Rachel into a tight and enthusiastic hug.

"They loved it!" she squeals into her ear.

Rachel corrects her by whispering, "They loved you mostly." Brittany squeezes Rachel then releases her, still grinning.

"Girls," Mr Schuester addresses them with amazement etched all over his face, "t-that was…"

"_Awesome_," Brittany finishes as the Cheerios quickly scatter out.

"_Exactly_," he grins full of pride. "I'm very proud of you, Brittany," he adds to the blond as she hops off the stage. Brittany then hugs a surprised Mr Schuester. After that she begins to hug the all members of New Directions and they congratulate her on her performance.

Rachel watches Brittany interact with the others. They are all so proud of Brittany and praising her but none of them – not even Leon or Maria – have said a word of commendation to her. She sighs, frustrated, and follows the crowd of the Club out.

Mr Schuester stops her halfway by gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "You did well, Rachel," he tells her and she flashes a small smile at him and then leaves the Auditorium.

_His opinion may matter but his praises don't. None of the Glee Club praised me or complimented me. Albeit the fact that Brittany sung the most, my voice is _much_ more __enhanced than hers! I even helped her practice and she never spoke a word of __gratitude today!_

_It goes to show that you should only help yourself sometimes…_

The hallway is deserted apart from Brittany who is rifling through her locker and Santana who is leaning against the wall waiting for her. "Hi Rachel!" Brittany brightly says to her. "Thanks for helping me with the Britney song."

A genuine smile forms on Rachel's lips.

_Bubbly Brittany. You can't stay angry with her. I should have learnt this fact when she accidently gave Coach Sylvester the Sectionals set-list._

Rachel replies, "You're most welcome, Brittany." Then she says to Santana, "Is Leon not with you?"

"Nah, he had to head home with Maria," Santana shrugs. "You did a good thing today," she praises and Rachel is astounded. "I'm glad you learned how to share the spotlight," she teasingly adds as she doesn't want to sound _too _nice.

"Found it!" Brittany chirps as she pulls out her Cheerio uniform out of her locker. "I forgot I put it under my packed lunch."

"I thought you don't have packed lunches?" Santana raises a brow at Brittany.

"It's from my first day in Freshman year," Brittany shrugs. Rachel and Santana immediately wrinkle their noses in disgust.

"_Freshman _year?" Rachel sceptically repeats. "Do you not clean out your locker?" She should have expected Brittany to shake her head.

"Let's go, Britt," Santana says as she stands away from the wall. "So Berry, should Brittany only wear her uniform Monday?"

"Is that your way of asking if I am now a Cheerio?"

"Yep. So?"

"I guess you will have to wait and see on Monday morning," Rachel smirks. Santana huffs, annoyed, and leaves with Brittany who waves goodbye at Rachel.

…

She's clad in her normal clothes again and ready to leave. Since it's a nice afternoon, she's walking home.

She walks past the Choir Room but abruptly stops when she hears a few notes being played on the piano. Curiously, she peeks into the room.

"I'm not bothered fighting right now, ManHands," Quinn drawls at her from the piano. Rachel notes that her voice is croaky and her eyes are a little puffy – assumingly from crying.

"What are you doing here?" she harshly asks. She knows she's supposed to be more sensitive to a crying girl but after the hell said crying girl has put her through she dismisses the rule.

"Selling cupcakes," Quinn sarcastically says.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "So, what is it that has gotten you so upset?" she probes. She expects Quinn to throw a witty remark at her which she will counter but instead the blond takes a small photo – about the size to fit it into your purse/wallet – and holds it out.

Rachel approaches her and takes the picture and scrutinises it. "Oh," she simply says, now understanding.

"That's the smallest copy. She also sent over a massive one to hang up on a wall – not like I would do that – and a medium one," Quinn says. Rachel nods but truthfully she's zones out because she's staring intently at the picture.

It's of Shelby Corcoran holding a small baby who looks no older than 4 months at most. This isn't the first time Rachel's seen this picture. Once, only a few weeks ago after school started she catches a glimpse of it on her Dad's laptop screen when he had been checking his email. Her Dad had immediately snapped the laptop shut but Rachel had already seen enough. Her mother, Shelby Corcoran, had sent a picture to her Dad of herself and her _new_ daughter, Beth. Now Rachel can look at the picture properly and analyses every aspect of it like the jubilant smile on Shelby's face with the curves of her mouth nearly hitting her full of love deep brown eyes that are staring affectionately at Beth.

"So, ManHands, how does it feel to know you Mom has another daughter?" there's the witty remark.

"I'm guessing the same it feels for you to know that your daughter has another mother," Rachel counters.

"So it sucks," Quinn says flatly.

"Yes it does." She exasperatedly sighs and drops onto the empty space on piano seat. It's followed by an awkward silence until Rachel breaks it by asking the question on her mind, "Has Noah seen this yet?"

"I got it in the mail today along with a letter from Shelby saying how well Beth's doing and it also said that she sent the pictures and a letter to Puck too. I haven't talked to him and he hasn't said anything to me so…" she shrugs. "Maybe he got it and doesn't want to say anything. Or, maybe his Mom found it and threw it in the trash."

"I agree with the second option," Rachel mutters. To avoid another awkward silence she changes the subject. "You should have come to Glee today."

"Why? I missed your solo?" Quinn rolls her eyes.

"Actually, Brittany and I sang _Me Against the Music_," she corrects.

Quinn's eyes fill with surprise. "Really? Did you sing the Britney Spears part?" Rachel shakes her head. "Wow, so Brittany took the lead… I really wish I did come to Glee!" She groans.

"What's wrong?"

"Santana's going to kill me for missing it!"

Rachel chuckles and Quinn joins in. The instantly stop when they think the same thought.

_Aren't we supposed to be fighting?_

"Look ManHands- RuPaul- Berry- _Rachel_," Quinn awards herself for finally getting the name right, "about the slushie -"

"Let's just forget about it," she hastily cuts in.

Quinn slowly nods. "Okay."

"So, what are you playing?" Rachel asks, interested. She looks at the sheets of chords on the piano and then to lyric sheet next to it. "Oh…"

"Rachel Berry, lost for words," Quinn laughs without humour.

"So you play piano?"

"I used to but then I stopped when I started High School because the Cheerios said it was stupid. Now I can't remember how to play."

"May I?" Before Quinn has time to answer Rachel starts complying by the chords sheet. Quinn pursues her lips for a second in uncertainty but then sighs and looks at the lyric sheet then at the photo in her hand.

**Tiny hands.  
Yes, that's you.  
And all you show,  
It's simply true.  
I smell your breathe,  
it makes me cry.**

She thinks back to the day back in the hospital after the physical pain of having conceiving a baby and before the emotional pain of having to let the baby go – _her_ baby. Beth had looked so peaceful and content.

**I wonder how,  
I've lived my life.**

**Cause without you,  
How did I get through,  
All of my days,  
Without you?  
Now living with you,  
See everything's true,  
My baby, it's you.  
My baby.  
My baby,  
My baby.**

**With no words at all,  
So tiny and small.**

That's how Quinn had seen Beth. She had been so small and cute. And now she is growing up.

**In love I fall,  
So deep.  
So deep.**

**My precious love,  
Sent from above.  
My baby boo,  
God I thank you.  
God I thank you.**

She knows she shouldn't be thanking God. He had put her through nine months of torture, then the hours of labour, but seeing Beth – someone she had _made_ – for mere seconds evened it all out.

**Cause without you,  
How did I get through,  
All of my days,  
Without you?  
Now living with you,  
See everything's true,  
My baby, it's you.  
My baby.  
My baby,  
My baby.**

Rachel watches the emotions etched on Quinn's face. The girl obviously loves Beth and is heartbroken that her baby has another mother. Rachel can't help but wonder if her own mother had felt this.

**Cause without you,  
How did I get through,  
All of my days,  
Without you?  
Now living with you,  
See everything's true,  
My baby, it's you.  
My baby.  
My baby,  
My baby.**

When the song finishes Quinn is on the verge of tears.

* * *

_A/N2:_ Songs are "Slave 4 U", "Toxic", "Me Against the Music and "My Baby" all by _Britney Spears_.

Sorry it's a day late but I had to re-write it.

Twist of events, huh?


	8. UnChronological

_**In This Song**_

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Glee or any of the songs mentioned/sung_**  
**__A/N:_ All mistakes mine

**Un-Chronological**

He feels the revolting room-temperature warm beer hit the hair of his realistic black wig and drip down to seep into his costume. It dribbles down his ear in which he hears the laughter of the students, bathing in his humiliation. It trickles down his forehead and lands at the end of his eyelashes but he can still see the humour etched on everyone's faces. He can even see the smirk on his "attacker's" face.

He can't tell what hurts most. Seeing the hilarity and amusement on his classmates' faces or seeing the happiness on his crush's.

…

"You _BITCH_!" the blond screams in fury and lunges herself at the black-haired witch. Her so-called friend only yelps in pain when the blond punches her causing her lipstick red lips to swell.

"What the _fuck_?" the girl with the swollen lip screeches in shock.

The unhurt (physically, that is) blond doesn't reply. Instead she slaps the injured girl with all the strength she has that. She smirks at the loudness of the slap, ignoring the slight pang of pain in her hand that is turning red.

The pain stings the ill-treated girl. This time she doesn't bother with words or yells of soreness and retaliates with all her power. She doesn't go down without a fight. Her fist meets with the blonde's nose and she hopes that it's now broken. The blond quickly collects herself and they continue to fight.

None of the two are aware of the people crowding around them. These people are watching in awe, taking pictures, even _recording_ it.

But they don't seem that shocked that the _friends_, if you can still call them that or at all, are fighting. It was pretty much expected.

…

It starts with a sweet and simple peck on the lips. She pulls away after, a little embarrassed. He stays there frozen, missing the lovely feel of her lips on his. Does she think she can get away this? He's longed for her for so long and all she gives him is a small peck on the lips? Granted she's with another guy…

There might not be a second chance to do this so he leans down and his lips catch hers. The taste is sensational and he only wishes it could last longer but then _he_ has to barge into the bathroom. _He_ flees at the sight of them, very angry, and she has to pull away and run after _him_.

So he tells himself to face the facts, he's second fiddle.

…

He has a hand on her waist as he leads her up the stairs. It's a tight grasp because he expects her to stumble. She does, but he steadies her and she gives him an unfamiliar lopsided grin.

He leads her to an unoccupied guest bedroom and no one gives the pair any odd looks because they've seen it all before. He lets her enter first and then shuts the door behind him. The instant she hears the click of the door closing her lips are on his and they're stumbling around the dark room.

The kiss isn't simple and sweet but hungry and intense. They haven't kissed like this for a long time and if the last time they do so then they're both going to take advantage of it.

Although he doesn't want their amazing kiss to stop he _has_ to pull away before he does something she'll regret the next morning when she's not drunk.

But he can't.

…

_These un-chronological events do not have any significance without names and more vivid descriptions. Not to mention the fact that there is no information to the follow-up of said events. So, in simple terms, let's rewind…_

Rachel is now a Cheerio.

The gossip spreads through McKinley like wildfire as soon as she steps into the school clad in her new uniform. They're all staring in wonderment and whispering to each other as she passes them. Some of the rumours are malicious about her supposed _need_ for popularity while others are compliments of her looking good in her uniform.

She knows she doesn't imagine it when she sees a flash of light.

_Jacob Ben Israel again, just trying to get the latest news to post on his unprofessional highly inappropriate blog._

She reaches her locker and opens it up and takes out a textbook required for her first lesson. As she closes it up again she notices Quinn, further down the hallway, doing the same. The blond catches her eye and they lock gazes for a second. Then the latter neutrally nod at each other in a form of acknowledgment.

_We hadn't spoken to one another since the incident in the Choir Room on Friday when Quinn had felt the tears prick her eyes. She had quickly mumbled, "See you later, Rachel." After that she was gone. Now, from the way we're looking at each other, we'll be pretending it never happened. All of it: the kiss with Finn, the slushie attack, the photo of Beth and Shelby. Seemingly it doesn't matter now as we can't change a thing and she's with Finn now. Bringing the photo of Beth into the equation might break the two up._

Finn approaches Quinn, smiling, and ducks his head to give her a light kiss on the lips. They chat for a moment until Finn glances at Rachel and does a double-take. With Quinn in tow, he walks up to her with disbelief etched all over his face.

She quirks an eyebrow at him. "Surprised?"

"I didn't think you'd actually– yes, I am. Are you sure you can keep up with Glee now that you're a Cheerio?"

Rachel's eyebrows drop down in an angry frown. "What are you insinuating? That as I am now a Cheerio I am incompetent to keep up with Glee?"

"No! I uh, I mean I um- what I meant to say…"

"I think," Quinn interrupts her boyfriend's ramble and saves him, "what he means is, aren't you going to be overwhelmed with the Cheerleading as well as Glee? You know, when I started the Squad I had trouble keeping up with Sylvester's lecturing and the routines. I forgot _all_ about school and homework while I tried to get the hang of it and _you_, you're the lead of Glee and at the top of all your classes."

Rachel cocks her head. "I see where you're coming from but I don't think that it applies to me. I've gone through years of ballet classes and vocal classes and etcetera and I've been face to face with coaches nearly as strict as Coach Sylvester. As for the routines, if they are_ that_ difficult and require me to give up a solo or two in Glee in order for me to have time to practice the routines at home then Kurt and Mercedes will be _thrilled_."

She does in fact have to give up a solo. It's Leona Lewis's _Bleeding Love_ and perfect for her vocal range. It pains her to know that if she takes the solo she'll be practising it day in and day out using up all the time she needs to perfect her moves in the Cheerleading routine.

So, Mr Schuester gives the solo to a very joyful Mercedes.

"Wait," Maria interrupts Mercedes enthusiastic chatter with Kurt and Tina.

Mercedes narrows her eyes at Maria. "Girl, don't tell me that you want Rachel to sing it or I _will_ cut you."

"No need to threaten me, I'm not going to say Rachel should sing the solo," she says in her defence. "_I_ want to sing it."

This shocks just about everyone. Maria had kept quiet most of the time during Glee and when she wasn't she was cracking jokes or talking sweetly or complaining about her brother. No one is really sure why she even joined Glee Club. They think it's because her brother joined or because of Rachel. Now they're thinking it's because she actually _likes_ to sing.

"Are you sure, Maria?" Mr Schuester asks her. "I mean, it's a hard song."

"Yeah, you might not be able to pull it off," Mercedes comments.

"She's my sister, of course she can," Leon snaps in her defence.

"I concur," Rachel agrees and Maria shoots a grateful look her way. She's heard Maria sing before and thought of her as a mini-version of herself – which is a big compliment.

"No offense but, the only people sticking up for you is your friend and brother," Mercedes reminds her. "They're kind of blinded."

Maria clenches her jaw. "Blinded?" She walks to the front. "Yeah, sure." She darts a glare at the band which immediately starts playing.

_Closed off from love  
I didn't need the pain  
Once or twice was enough  
And it was all in vain  
Time starts to pass  
Before you know it you're frozen_

_But something happened  
For the very first time with you  
My heart melts into the ground  
Found something true  
And everyone's looking round  
Thinking I'm going crazy_

Everyone in Glee sway along to the beat. They're surprised at the sound of Maria's beautiful voice that they haven't heard all by itself before.

_But I don't care what they say  
I'm in love with you  
They try to pull me away  
But they don't know the truth  
My heart's crippled by the vein  
That I keep on closing  
You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
You cut me open_

_And it's draining all of me  
Oh they find it hard to believe  
I'll be wearing these scars  
For everyone to see_

Rachel's gaze strays away from Maria and to Noah who is sitting only a few seats away from her. They lock gazes and for a moment she sees the sweet sincere boy whom had serenaded her twice. That's until he breaks away eye contact because his eyes are raking over her uniform and he smirks.

_I don't care what they say  
I'm in love with you  
They try to pull me away  
But they don't know the truth  
My heart's crippled by the vein  
That I keep on closing  
You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
You cut me open and I  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love_

They all burst into a round of applause at the end of Maria's heartfelt solo. She obviously gets it because she really wants it and deserves it. The next day two Freshmen girls join Glee – friends of Maria. It turns out when Maria had gone to her friends telling them the exciting news of her new solo it had convinced Susannah and Amy to join.

When the two girls enter the Choir room for the first time, Rachel's eyes dart to Noah expecting to see a content smirk on his face. She only see's a bored frown on his face, the one he keeps on most of the time in Glee, and she smiles to herself.

Noah isn't the one who flirts with them. It's Sam. Rachel knows it's only a cover to hide his true sexuality but thinks it completely unnecessary because no one will bother questioning it. That's until she sees Kurt eyeing Sam with sorrowfulness.

_Sam's flirting to ward off Kurt?_

That was exactly the opposite of why Mike is flirting with Susan and Amy. Nothing opens the eyes up to love like jealousy does. Tina has the same sorrowfulness as Kurt when she spots Mike making the two Freshmen girls giggle.

_Those two boys can't keep this façade up for long. Soon the truth will reveal itself…_

…

_Moving on…_

"We're holding Invitationals next Friday," Mr Schuester informs the Glee Club. "And since Halloween is set only a few days after I thought the Invitationals could be based around Halloween. Any song suggestions?"

Predictably, Rachel's hand shoots up. "_Teeth_ by Lady Gaga," she suggests.

"Sounds good," Mr Schuester nods.

"I got one," Noah speaks. Everyone's eyes shoot to him in absolute disbelief. Rachel's the only one with stars in her eyes too with elation and pride. "What? It's as obvious as hell: _Thriller_, Michael Jackson."

"Good idea, Puck. So, I'll think of some more songs and start working on the choreography."

Kurt raises his hand. "Can I work on the costumes?" he asks.

The teacher laughs because _of course_ Kurt will want to be in charge of the fashion choices. "Of course you can, Kurt. Alright, see you Thursday."

They begin to collect their stuff and are about to leave the Choir Room until Santana stops them. "There's a party at my house next Saturday. You lot are invited."

"You're _inviting_ us?" Tina says in scepticism. "_Why_?"

"Team work and that sh-" she notices the teacher watching them and refrains from swearing, "- _stuff_. Whatever. You all have to wear costumes."

"A _costume_," Noah scowls at the idea. "And if we don't?"

"Then I'm not letting you into my house," Santana barks at him. "Oh and -" she looks at the three Freshmen girls, "- the only Freshmen allowed at my party are Cheerios so you three _aren't_ invited."

"Just because we're not Cheerios?" the blond-haired Susan cries, outraged. She buttons her mouth as soon as Santana glares at her.

"See you lot there," Santana adds to the older Glee Club members.

"I can't make it," Leon tells her.

"_Why_?" Santana asks, outraged. Why would _anyone_ miss her party? Geeks, freaks, the lot always turn up at her house when she's hosting a party and even though she turns them away (kicks them off her property) they always come back.

"Because this one-" he gestures to his sister, "- will rat me out to our Mom unless she can go with me to the party. She's been doing this since January."

_That is actually not the real reason why Maria suddenly started to tag along to her brother's frivolous parties from the beginning of 2010. Leon is aware of the real reason but continued to ignore it completely and put the matter down to his sister acting 'bratty'. _

Santana clenches her jaw. "Fine, she can come too."

Maria has an evil smirk on her face. "But Santana, like you said, the only Freshman girls at your party will be Cheerios-" she takes Susan's arm in her own, "- and I'm not friends with any of them so-" she links her other arm with Amy's, "- I won't really know have anyone to talk to."

Santana's eyes blaze with fury. She's being blackmailed by _14_ year old - adding to the fact that she has to _give in_. First Rachel joins the Cheerleading Squad and now _this_? What the fuck is going to happen next?

"Fine. Freckles 1 and Freckles 2 are invited," she says begrudgingly. Normally she wouldn't give in so easily but the truth is she _really_ likes Leon. They haven't been on another date yet because she's expecting _him_ to ask her out this time. He hasn't yet. So, Saturday night, she's going to win him over so he _begs_ to go on her a date with her.

…

_Unless you're deficient of intelligence, you now know the location the events are to take place. Onwards…_

Mr Berry and Mr Berry are thrilled when their only daughter informs them that she has been invited to a party. A real _teenage _party!

They're not idiots. They know that Rachel didn't make any friends in her first year in High School. She told them she didn't have time for friends because she was trying to stay on top of her more challenging homework, keep up with her MySpace videos, not forgetting her vocal and ballet classes. But they know that it was because she hadn't made any friends. It was because she wasn't – still isn't – your typical teenager. She has a dream and a lot of drive and ambition. She knew what she wanted and she knew it possible to get it so she liked to brag about it which warded off possible friends.

And now, their daughter has a friend. Who invited her to a party? Maybe she has _more than one friend_?

They can't press on the fact because then it will reveal that they know that the 'friends' she made in Sophomore year weren't really friends if they didn't invite her out anywhere or go over to her house or talk to her on the phone for hours on end. Who cares about that right now? Here - present time - she does have a friend who wants her to attend a party.

Obviously they allow her to attend. They even offer to let her use her Daddy's car to drive to the party. She doesn't have a car of her own but she knows how to drive – she learnt when she turned sixteen in 2009. They hadn't bought her a car of her own and she strangely never asked.

At first she's hesitant to go. One of the reasons why is because it's the first house party she's attended in High School. Another is because it's a costume party. A costume party in Middle School or in Elementary is when you dress up as Disney princesses or characters out of a fairytale. A costume party in High School is just the excuse for teenage girls to wear lingerie and cast it off as a 'costume'. The main reason is because the party_ clearly_ consists of alcohol which is expected as the hostess is Santana Lopez. The only alcohol Rachel's drunk is a glass or two of expensive red wine under the supervision of her Dads. She makes a clear note of staying away from beer and not accepting any drinks from doubtful boys.

She dresses up in one of the most unlikely things: an angel. She knows she's nothing near to angelic – no one is. The costume consists of a figure-hugging lace white dress with, floral white tights and white pumps. Not to mention the strawberry blond wig and glittery make-up and small angel wings she had bought from a costume store.

The black Toyota is parked a few blocks away from Santana's house. There is parking space closer to where the party is taking place but Rachel doesn't want her Daddy's car to be ruined by a drunk driver exiting the party which _clearly_ consists of alcohol which is expected as the hostess is Santana Lopez.

She cautiously enters the house through the ajar door. Two Cheerios dressed in racy witches costumes are right at the front greeting the 'guests'. Santana must have told them to work the door – by told, Rachel means _ordered_.

"Hi!" one of the chirpily says. Rachel recognises her as Cindy, a Freshman Cheerio whom is nearly as brainless as Brittany.

"Hello!" the other girl – Miranda, is it? – greets her. She looks intently at Rachel's make-up covered face and says, "You look familiar…"

"Yeah, she does," Cindy fixedly stares. For a moment they both only so that: stare. That's until Cindy blinks. "What's your name?" a better way of figuring out who the girl dressed in an angel costume is.

"Uh…" Rachel contemplates telling them. Luckily she's saved from answering because a few Football players enter the house.

The two young Cheerios instantaneously forget about Rachel and focus their attention on the boys. Rachel rolls her eyes at their typical teenage girl behaviour and walks away from them and to the Dining Room. As she does so a Football player winks his too pale green eyes at her and she wonders if the flushing of her cheeks is noticeable under the layers of make-up.

The music is loud and pounds on Rachel's ears. The dinner table has been pushed against the wall to make room for the dancing teenagers grinding against each other to the music. As she had expected, the girls are scantily clad and dressed up as Playboy-bunnies, nurses, stewardesses, witches, Madonna and much more inappropriate costumes.

_How grateful I am that Halloween is only once a year…_

She has only just arrived but she is desperate to leave. She doesn't belong here with the same people who had bullied her and taunted her the first two years of High School.

_Why oh why did I come here?_

She sidles past the writhing bodies to the Living Room. "You look like you need a drink," someone says to her. She turns her head to see Azimio.

"No thanks, I don't drink," Rachel tells him over the music.

"Scared to commit a sin, angel?" he smirks at her.

She rolls her eyes at him and the not-so-humorous comment. About to counter, she notices that he is wearing his Football uniform.

_How did he get in without a real costume? Santana had said she wouldn't let anyone without a costume step foot inside her house. Unless she's already intoxicated…_

"Checking me out?" he leeringly grins, leaning in closer to her. He's so close she can smell the faint stink of alcohol on his breathe. Hastily she takes a step back. She's never seen an intoxicated person but knows that some are loud, rude and even violent. Desperately, she hopes Azimio isn't one of those violent peoples.

Suddenly she's being pulled away to safety by someone slinging an arm around her shoulders. "I've been looking for you everywhere," her saviour says loudly as he leads her away from an aggravated Azimio. It's then that she notices that, to her relief, her knight in shining armour is none other than Sam. "Sorry about that," he whispers to her quietly while letting his arms fall back to his sides, "but it looked like you needed some saving from him."

"Yes, thanks," she mumbles back. She knew she shouldn't be here.

"I'm Sam, by the way," he adds in his familiar smooth charm. Rachel's so taken by it that it takes a while for her to register what he just said.

"Wait, do you not know who I am?" she bewilderedly asks.

"Sorry, I'm still a little new to the school," he sheepishly tells her.

"How much alcohol have you consumed?" she raises an eyebrow at him.

"Just a bottle of beer." It's not possible to be that forgetful and dim after just one beer - unless she really is that unrecognisable? She dismisses the idea and thinks that Sam only doesn't recognise her is due to the fact they still do not know each other well and she's wearing very thick make-up. Normally I don't touch the stuff but the stupid Jocks pressured me into it. Plus I have to keep my rep up and avoid slushie-facials."

"I take it the parties at your old school were not as low-class?"

"I went to an all boys boarding school," he tells her, as if that answers everything. "This isn't my scene. Too much alcohol, drunks, fights, and _that_." He motions to a couple sprawled on an armchair whom were getting very acquanted with each other's mouths.

"Disgusting," she cringes and looks away. Not before identifying the couple as to being Quinn and Finn.

"You want to know what's really disgusting? The Jocks have some pool going on about what time the two will be dissapearing into one of the guest bedrooms."

"That is Quinn and Finn, yes?" she asks, confused. Sam nods. _Quinn_. They think Quinn, the girl who once referred to contraception as the "c-word", will be having sex with Finn - for the first time since her first time in which she got impregnated - at _Santana's house_.

Those Jocks really _are_ stupid.

…

She scans the large space and manoeuvres herself around her fellow students in search for her friends. Finn is sitting on a red armchair and Quinn is sitting on his lap. Rachel doesn't go over to say hello.

If she had seen this in Sophomore year, her heart would break. Now it doesn't.

She catches sight of the four. Mercedes and Kurt are nervously leaning against the far wall, each with a cup in their hands assumingly containing alcohol and watching the goings-on of the party like outsiders. Artie is next to them in his wheelchair, also with drink in hand, and Tina is perched on his lap.

Cautiously Rachel approaches them, careful not to trip over anyone or step on someone's toes with her killer high-heels. "Hello," she addressed them.

"For God's sake! Santana invited us!" Kurt yells at her, irritated. "And I'm a Jock! I'm allowed to be here!" He huffs, infuriated, and Mercedes groans.

_The lowly members of Glee Club – otherwise known as 'Gleeks' – at a party at the Head Cheerleader's house? A surprise for the other McKinley students…_

_Wait – do they not recognise me?_

"Kurt, it's me!"

"Am I supposed to know you?" He analyses her face then sneers at her realistic blond wig. "I'm sorry, when I was on the Cheerleading Squad I was never able to tell one blond bimbo from the next."

She feels her blood boil with rage. Her eyes dart to Mercedes and then to Tina and then Artie. None of them have any idea who she is? Add a blond wig and some make-up and she's unidentifiable? Do they not see her familiar brown eyes and too-large nose? Do they not see the memorable glare she's giving them that she's used in Glee so often? Do they not hear her voice?

"If you didn't want people to question why you're here then you should have dressed in disguise so they can't identify you," Rachel retorts hotly and saunters away from them.

_Well, it is true. Kurt has dressed as Abba, Mercedes as Aretha, Tina as a vampire and Artie as a matching vampire, crippled. _

"You look like you need a drink," someone says. It's not Sam this time but Jimmy Avery, a Sophomore on the Basketball team.

"I don't drink," she tells him.

"How about some jello shots then? That's not drinking," he adds in persuasion.

"But they do have alcohol in them."

"Oh, just try one," insists another Jock. Hesitantly, Rachel takes one of the tiny cups containing pink alcoholic jello and slurps it – unfortunately in a very embarrassing unladylike manner. It tastes like regular strawberry jello but better. She can't taste any alcohol so assumes that the jello-mix over powers the alcohol. To her, this makes it acceptable to have more of the delicious substance and she dives for the purple jello shots which evidently are grape flavoured.

_And then it's all a blur._

…

The music is loud - too loud. That's surprising because Puck's been to many parties held at Santana's house and he always considered the music not loud enough and when he had gone to the stereo he had seen that the volume was cranked all the way up so it was unable to get louder. Now, it is pounding against his eardrums.

It's not the stereo – that's the same. It's not the song playing – it's been played here before. It's Puck.

He doesn't want to be here. Not really. This is the first party he's attended in the school year but he had come begrudgingly because Santana ordered him along with the rest of the Glee Club to be attend.

He knows it's weird that he, the biggest badass and stud in the school, doesn't want to be at a party. The thing is that he's changed. He went to parties last year to keep up his rep as a badass. Now, if anyone questions his badassness they'll get a beat down. _Anyone_. But, before Glee, if his teammates in Football questioned his badassness he'd tell them about a new prank he's pulling soon. Now, he blackmails them – example: Azimio uses steroids and if Coach Tanaka were ever to find out he'd kick the ass off the Football team – or threatens them (the weaker ones).

It's also because of the girls he doesn't want to be at the party. Don't think he's starting to go gay – the Puck loves women. It's just that when he looks at the girls flirting with him he only sees, like usual, a mindless fuck. Strangely, he doesn't want just that now. He wants some more – something serious. It seems as weird as fuck but after the relationship he had with Rachel which lasted remotely longer than their first 'relationship' he missed having someone to talk to who actually listens and gives a shit about you. Unlike many of his one-night stands and cougars; Santana had cared a little but she's only nice and sincere with Brittany. Which he doesn't see happening with any of them bimbos.

He doesn't want to admit he sees it with Rachel. It had worked for them until he had started thinking with his dick that time with Quinn which screwed everything up.

That's why he's sitting at the edge of Santana's dining table near the wall, beer cup in hand, watching all the buzzed dancers enthusiastically bop to the music. The girls in costumes – correction: _lingerie_ – have ceased to approaching him for the moment so he's going to enjoy the alone time and get drunk enough to forget all about the brown-eyed girl. That's until a petite girl walks past him and trips over his legs.

Hastily he swings his free arm out to grab her arm and steady her. The girl giggles as she stands up straight. "Thank you," she grins a lopsided grin at him.

"No probs," he tells her and let's go of her arm which looks unusually glittery and now his hand is too.

"Body glitter," the girl explains when she sees him doing so.

"Angels are glittery?" he mocks her costume. "Never heard of that myth."

"Yes, it's as probable as the Prince of Darkness being rude," she smugly retorts, eyeing the red horns on his head and his red shirt. He hadn't made an effort because he hadn't been bothered to but now, face to face with the spunky angel, he is glad he dressed like Satan instead of throwing his Football uniform on.

"Then it's impossible."

"If you're not rude then I'm the prettiest girl here."

"Could have had me fooled." Puck smirks when he sees the girl duck her head because her face is red at the compliment. Yep, he still has it.

There's something about the girl that has him drawn to her. "D'you wanna dance?" he asks her, jumping off of the table. The girl shyly nods and he scrunches up his cup, throws it behind him and takes her arm again to lead her into the centre of the room.

The girl is a little more than buzzed but her dancing is actually good. However, more than once she trips because of the ridiculously high heeled shoes she's wearing.

"Sorry," she apologises again when he steadies her for the fourth time.

"It's okay," he gruffly tells her. He as gently as possible grabs her hips and hauls her to him; his arm is now wrapped around her waist to stop her from stumbling. "That's better, right?"

She rests her head against his shoulder. "Yes," she breathes out and the hot air against his neck makes Puck pull the girl closer to him.

They're only swaying along to the beat so it can't really be considered dancing but none of the two mind. "Y'know," Puck begins to say, "I don't even know your name."

The girl giggles. "No one at this party does."

"Do you even go to McKinley?" he raises an eyebrow which goes unseen by her.

"Yes N- Puck," she answers. He loosens his grip around the girl and she notices and looks up at him. All he sees are the familiar chocolate brown eyes he loves - almost as much as Beth's jade green eyes – and he knows. From her eyes his gaze turns to her even more familiar lips that are now pale pink yet glossy…

Next thing he knows said lips are attacking his in an assault. She had had the element of surprise to dart her tongue into his mouth; he involuntarily groans against her mouth.

Too soon they have to pull away from each other for breathes of oxygen. They lock eyes for what seems likes hours until Puck suddenly starts pulling Rachel out of the Dining Room and up the stairs. If they are going to make out (which he hopes they would be doing for a little while longer), he doesn't want to do it in the middle of Santana's Dining room. So, he leads her to one of the Lopez's guest bedrooms.

No one gives him and Rachel a second-glance, assuming the unfamiliar girl is one of his conquests. She is definitely not.

He barely has time to shut and lock the door before she is on him again - assaulting his lips, his neck, his jaw and anything else she can reach.

He's able to pull her blond wig off to thread his fingers through her impossibly soft real hair when the back of his knees hit the bed. He stumbles as she pushes him down onto the comforter and further up the bed until she begins straddling him - an all too familiar position from their first relationship. She makes him lean down so his head is on the pillows as she sits above him.

Then she does something totally unexpected: she slowly unbuttons his shirt starting from the bottom and working her way up, kissing his newly exposed skin as she does so. By the time she reaches his neck his breathing is the most shallow it has ever gotten. As he tries to even out his breathing, he sits up to shrug the shirt off. He looks back at Rachel and sees her eyes are dark with desire. He decides to return the gesture by slipping the angel wings that Rachel wore like a backpack and then slips off the small hand bag around her neck. His hand brushes against the soft skin of her arms and she shivers.

Their lips are attached to each other again with one of his hands running through her hair and the other around her waist. Without the feathery wings he can feel the zip of her dress and can't help his hands sidelining to the top of her sleeveless dress to where the zipper is. He hesitates at first but then begins to pull the zip further and further down and Rachel does not take heed. When the dress is fully unzipped his hands crawl back up to search for a bra – there is none – does Rachel stiffen with surprise.

He sighs as he pulls away from her but isn't ticked off like he would have been with any other girl – because Rachel's not any other girl. "I'm sorry, you're not ready."

Rachel's eyes fill with nervousness. "It's not that- I mean I can't-"

"It's okay," he softly tells her, trying to be comforting.

Instead Rachel leaps off the bed. "I- I'm so embarrassed," she whimpers, slinging her bag over her neck.

"It's okay," he reassures her. "You're drunk. I've done worse things drunk."

"I doubt that."

"I got up on a table and sung the Killer's 'Mr Brightside'," he counters. Rachel gives out a small chuckle but shakes it off.

"I'm so sorry. I should leave."

_She can't go!_

He isn't going to let her drive home when she is clearly not sober enough to do so and she hasn't even put her wig back on yet so if she leaves then they'll all know that it's Rachel Berry who just left a guest bedroom and it'll ruin her. But most importantly, he just really wants (no, needs) her to stay. "No, Rach, don't go," he calls. She stops at the door and turns around. He walks up behind her so that he is close enough to whisper in her ear. "Berry, look, I'm not letting you drive in this condition, and I don't want you to room with Santana because she'll probably freeze your bra or something. So just… stay here for the night."

"_Here_?" she repeats in awe.

"Yeah."

She bites her lip in thought then reluctantly obliges. She can't drive home drunk because her Dads will go haywire - that's to say she even _gets_ home because in her state is plausible for her to get into a major car accident. She guiltily texts her Dads to let them know that she's going to be staying at her friends because it's already late and when she looks up she sees Noah is passed out on the bed.

_A/N2:_ I had writer's block so bad. I'm sorry for posting this so late.

I really need to get a beta. If you know anyone to beta this then PM me please.


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